If Dreams Could Come True
by Kanemoshi
Summary: When Kurama finally makes a move on Hiei, he finds himself with more than just a few sleeping problems...YAOI no serious lemons though... HieiKurama
1. Mistake

Authoress: O.O...okay, I really need a mind cleansing...but until the time my head gets sucked  
  
down a toilet and my brains are scrubbed with brillo pads, I shall continue writing my 'perverse'  
  
stories...AND IF YA DON'T LIKE IT, as I said before...in another one of my stories, BITE MY  
  
ASS, cuz there' s more than enough to go around, and don't worry, I won't miss it...  
  
Kurama and Hiei: o__O;;;;;;;  
  
Koenma: I would...*sniffle*  
  
Authoress: *glomps deity* I know...like I would want any of my reviewers to come and bite my  
  
ass...damn, I know I'm kinky, but Jeez...O.o....  
  
Koenma: Kinky..._______^...  
  
Authoress: Now, for those of you who haven't figured it out yet, this is a YAOI STORY!!!!...so  
  
now you who keep bugging me about no warnings can SHUT UP!!!...but, anyways, it WILL be a  
  
Yaoi story of Kurama *glances over at redhead* and Hiei *grins sadistically at the fire demon*  
  
Hiei: *gulp*  
  
Authoress: and, as a warning...there will be many...and I mean MANY one sided...fluffinesses in  
  
the beginning...*sniffle* poor...poor...poor...poor...  
  
Hiei: SHUT UP!!!  
  
Authoress: Poor Hiei...*glomps Koorime*  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho...even though I do have a sexy Koenma key chain...and  
  
that I DO own...wait...I had to borrow money from my buddy... *sobs* I DON'T OWN  
  
IT!!!...*grins* but, who remembers a few bucks here and there...  
  
Chapter One:  
  
"talking" 'thinking'...easy enough?  
  
"That binky sucking...little..." Yusuke mumbled as he let out a string of curses and  
  
promises for when they got back to the Reikai. He wiped a piece of slimy, green flesh from his  
  
face as his eye began to twitch.  
  
"Koenma could have at least warned us..." Kuwabara stated, sitting up. The youkai the  
  
Reikai Tantai had been tracking had been found...and dealt with as Hiei saw fit, which also  
  
sprayed the entire team with the twenty foot tall demon's innards, mostly on Hiei and Kurama,  
  
both of which weren't complaining, just picking a few organs out of their hair.  
  
'At least we can go home now,' Kurama though to himself as he examined the only  
  
wound he had received, a small gash in his upper arm from the youkai's claw. He sighed,  
  
wondering momentarily why he was the one put out for bait as he rearranged the piece of material  
  
so that it was, once again, covering his entire lower body. He then went in search of the rest of  
  
his clothes, that Yusuke and Kuwabara made him take off before they set him in their 'trap.'  
  
He glanced over at Hiei, noticing immediately that the fire demon had been wounded, but  
  
Hiei was either ignoring the wound, or didn't notice it was there. He finally found his clothing  
  
and put it on as quickly as he could, then went to examine Hiei.   
  
Hiei glared at him momentarily as Kurama stared at the bloody wound in his upper thigh,  
  
then collapsed into Kurama's warm embrace, no longer able to hold onto consciousness.   
  
Kurama, almost falling over in surprise, lowered Hiei to the ground as he continued to inspect  
  
Hiei's leg, trying to forget about the warming feeling in his lower body as he sat uncomfortably  
  
close to the half Koorime.  
  
"Is the shrimp going to be okay?" Kuwabara asked, glancing over at Kurama, who was  
  
wrapping up his friend's leg carefully. 'Kurama really likes Hiei...but Shorty doesn't seem to  
  
notice...Everyone can see how much Kurama cares for him...except Hiei...' Kuwabara thought to  
  
himself, kneeling down next to Kurama. "I didn't even see him get hit..."  
  
"Hiei'll be fine..." Kurama replied, lifting Hiei into his arms, then slinging the small  
  
youkai over his shoulder. 'Hiei's just tired...between Murkro's training and his Reikai Tantai job,  
  
he doesn't get much rest...' His golden eyes shifted towards Yusuke, who was screaming at Botan  
  
through a communicator.  
  
"TELL THAT IDIOT I'M TAKING A VACATION WHETHER HE LIKES IT OR  
  
NOT!!!!!" Yusuke snorted, glaring at the blue haired woman on the communicator. "And I'd  
  
rather get the hell out of the Makai sometime in the near FUTURE!!!!"  
  
"Okay, Yusuke, no need to yell...and Keiko's been getting annoyed with your  
  
disappearances lately..." Botan commented, turning off her communicator before she heard  
  
Yusuke's reply.  
  
"MY DISAPPEARANCES!!!!! GET KOENMA TO TELL HER WHY I'M NEVER  
  
HOME ANYMORE!!! THAT TODDLER DOESN'T WANT ME TO HAVE A LIFE!!!!"  
  
Yusuke crumpled the communicator into his hand as he went in search of the portal back to the  
  
Reikai, Kuwabara and Kurama following him, keeping their distance from their angry leader.  
  
  
  
"I know I've been working all of you hard, but the rest of the spirit detectives have been  
  
wiped out, so I have no other choice...and once Hiei leaves, it'll only get worse..." Koenma  
  
sighed, wondering where he could find more spirit detectives before his father noticed youkai  
  
were running around the Nigenkai and only a few, the most powerful of them, were being caught  
  
by Reikai Tantai.  
  
"Hiei's leaving?" Kuwabara asked, lifting his head from the pillow he had found  
  
somewhere in Koenma's office that, as usual, was piled with papers, most of which hadn't been  
  
looked at yet.   
  
"Hai...his first loyalty is to Murkro...and she's been hounding at me to let Hiei return..."  
  
Koenma commented. "She keeps saying that I have enough spirit detectives...but she has only  
  
one heir...grr...so high and mighty...thinks she can order me around...grrrr." Koenma continued  
  
growling until Yusuke hit him in the head with a stack of papers. "NANI!!!"  
  
"Don't worry, Kuwabara, Kurama and I can take any youkai on!" Yusuke said  
  
optimistically, grinning. "Who needs Hiei here?!"  
  
"Talking about Hiei...where is he...and Kurama?" Koenma asked, glancing around his  
  
office, not finding either the redhead or the fire demon.  
  
"Kurama took Hiei back home with him...Hiei was injured...not badly though..."   
  
"...Does anyone else notice?" Kuwabara asked, glancing from Koenma to Yusuke. The  
  
two furrowed their eyebrows, not understanding what Kuwabara meant. "Kurama...likes Hiei?"  
  
"Oh, yeah...who hasn't!?" Yusuke replied, snickering.  
  
"Hiei..." Kuwabara mumbled as he stood up. "I'll be at Genkai's temple..." 'Yukina, here  
  
I come!' Kuwabara thought as he left the room, grinning.  
  
  
  
"You're finally awake," Kurama said as he sat down on the bed, glancing down at Hiei,  
  
who had finally woken up. '*sigh* if only...' Kurama thought to himself, forcing his eyes not to  
  
roam across Hiei's bare chest.   
  
"Hn," Hiei replied. Kurama wished, for once, that he could know exactly what the  
  
Koorime meant by 'hn' all the time. He had begun to understand Hiei, read his eyes, his few  
  
facial expressions, and even a few 'hns.'   
  
Kurama moved closer to Hiei and, for the first time in something other than his dreams, he  
  
touched Hiei. He slid his fingers along Hiei's ribs, tracing his muscles out as he moved  
  
downwards. Kurama touched Hiei's muscular chest while his other hand gently stroked Hiei's  
  
cheek. Kurama brushed his lips against the fire demon's, finding Hiei opened his mouth  
  
immediately. He slowly kissed Hiei, lightly sucking on the Koorime's lower lip, then deepening  
  
the kiss as he let his hands roam across Hiei's upper body, marveling at Hiei's small, yet muscular,  
  
and absolutely beautiful form. Kurama felt the fire youkai shiver as his lips left Hiei's and he  
  
began trailing soft kisses down the Koorime's neck and shoulders. Hiei remained still as Kurama  
  
moved even closer, so there was no longer any space between them. Kurama ran his fingers  
  
though Hiei's soft hair as he pushed the Koorime down on to the bed and laid on top of Hiei,  
  
pressing his arousal against the small demon.  
  
Kurama then felt Hiei's hands touch his chest, making him smirk inwardly, glad that he  
  
had finally read the Koorime correctly, but he found out that he didn't when Hiei pushed him  
  
back, making Kurama fall to the floor. Kurama sat up, and the first thing he noticed was that Hiei  
  
was gone.   
  
'Kami-sama, what have I done?' Kurama asked himself as he stared at his hands, his eyes  
  
beginning to water. Kurama wiped away his tears as he relived the past few moments over and  
  
over in his mind, realizing not once did Hiei respond to his touches or his kisses, not even the  
  
smallest protest, except for the one that left Kurama on the floor, and Hiei...gone. 'I've scared  
  
away one of the few friends I have...'  
  
Authoress: O.O *sniffle* poor Kurama...poor...poor...poor...poor...KURAMA!!!  
  
*sobs*...anyways *steals Kurama's box of Kleenex* *blows nose* interesting? I hope...I  
  
WANNA know what happens to Hiei and Kurama...I really do...not that I don't have a  
  
few...*ahem* unusual twists for why Hiei rejected Kurama...just let the mind wander *glares at  
  
computer screen for a moment* NO, NOT THAT FAR!!!!...  
  
Hiei: ...hn...  
  
Authoress: And what's with the 'hn-ing' around here?!  
  
  
  
Kurama: *not here*  
  
Hiei: ...  
  
Jin: if my ears were any pointier, I'd poke out a person's eye!!!!  
  
Authoress: ^________^  
  
Koenma: *feeling unloved*  
  
Authoress: *glomps Koenma and Jin at the same time* Bye-bye, and pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze  
  
review...I won't put another chapter up until...four people review...I swear!...I'm getting sick of  
  
writing good stories, and no one readin' them...and I keep writing and updating...but ZE~~~~RO!   
  
Reviews!!!!! 


	2. Incident

Authoress: woah, I'm updating fast...only like a week or so...but soooo many people reviewed in such a short amount of time...that plus the fact I was stuck in In School Suspension...ALL day...I had time on my hands...  
  
Kurama: you knew you shouldn't threaten others...  
  
Authoress: I said I'd take him in a dark alley and kill 'im...it's not that bad...and it was meant as a joke, I SWEAR!!!...bitchy teacher who hates me with a passion normally reserved for love thought I'd actually murder my boyfriend...*sniffle* I'm so misunderstood...  
  
Hiei: *smiling proudly*  
  
Authoress: OH SHUT UP!!!  
  
Yusuke: ^_____________^...ah, finally becoming a delinquent...  
  
Authoress: *growls as she attacks the spirit detective* Before I scare you anymore, on to the story!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho...wish I did, though...reeeeeeaallly did...but sometimes I do get my wishes...^____________^  
  
Chapter Two  
  
"So, what about tomorrow night?" Kuwabara asked, glancing over at Yusuke. The spiri detetive shrugged as he continued to stare off into space. "C'mon Urameshi! If you apologize, I'm sure Keiko will take you back."  
  
"Why should I apologize, I didn't do anything wrong," Yusuke retorted. He sighed as he stood up. "Keiko really was angry, wasn't she?" 'I don't even remember why she was yelling at me...most likely about being a spirit detective...'  
  
"Hai...I think even Hiei would have been backing away," Kuwabara commented.  
  
"If he was here..."  
  
"What are you thinking, Urameshi?"  
  
"Just...what if...we got him and Kurama together...I mean, Kurama's really been depressed lately and I'm sure it's because of soemthing having to do with Hiei," Yusuke replied. "And I've heard a rumor that Hiei hasn't been acting...normal...either."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Sounds like Hiei's gotten even more bloodthirsty...I think Murkro's starting to worry about him..."   
  
"I wonder what happened between them," Kuwabara said.  
  
"I asked Kurama, but he wouldn't tell me," Yusuke replied. "Maybe you could have Yukina talk to him..."  
  
"I'll ask her, she's been worried about both of them too..." Kuwabara stated, sighing. 'What is it about Hiei that makes Yukina care about him so much?' Kuwabara thought. "Urameshi, why is it Hiei's always protecting Yukina?" 'When she was tortured for her tears...Hiei came...why would he...unless...no, he couldn't...love Yukina...could he? What about Kurama?'  
  
"I...I can't tell you, I value my life too much..."  
  
"Nani?!" Kuwabara glanced over at him, praying that the reason he thought of wasn't true.  
  
" ...he made us promise never to tell...and if we do, Hiei will kill us..." Yusuke replied, using all of his will power to not tell Kuwabara about Hiei being Yukina's sibling.  
  
"Urameshi..." Kuwabara said threateningly, glaring at Yusuke. "Is...is it because he...*sniffle*..." Kuwabara broke down crying, unable to finish his question.   
  
"Oh, come on! You're twenty-four, don't cry!"  
  
"Yukina will never love me...will she?" Kuwabara asked, sniffling and wiping his eyes.  
  
"NANI!?!? What ARE you talking about?! Of course she loves you!' Yusuke exclaimed, hitting the orange-haired nigen in the heat.  
  
"But...Hiei loves her..."  
  
"Well...yeah, all of us do!" Yusuke pointed out. 'He took that whole "Hiei's secret" thing the wrong way...' "Look...if I was to tell you, would you stop crying like a baby...and promise NEVER to tell anyone you know?" Yusuke let out a sigh, noticing that the people in the busy streets were looking at them strangely.  
  
"HAI!"  
  
"Baka," Yusuke mumbled uner his breath as Kuwabara instantly stopped crying. "Okay, Hiei is Yukina's brother, happy?"  
  
Kuwabara's mouth dropped open as he stared at Yusuke, trying to figure out if the detective was lying or not. "B...brother?!" 'But hy wouldn't he tell Yukina? She's been searching for her brother for years...' "Why didn't he tell Yukina?"  
  
"He said she'd be happier not knowing..." Yusuke replied. "Kuwabara, you can't tell...or even hint to Yukina...I'd rather not die by Hiei's hand."  
  
"Now that I know Hiei's her brother, I can ask him for his permission to marry Yukina..." Kuwabara said, obviously not listening to Yusuke as he continued his daydreaming. He laughed slightly as he began to skip down teh sidewalk, humming songs to himself.  
  
  
  
"You told Kuwabara?!" Koenma's binky slipped out of his mouth and fell to the floor as he, along with Botan and Kurama, stared at Yusuke.  
  
"I had to! He was getting this idea that Hiei and Yukina were lovers!" Yusuke retorted.  
  
"So you told him!!! Hiei will certainly kill you now!" Koenma pointed out, crawling across the floor in search of his pacifier.  
  
"Well...Kuwabara promised he wouldn't tell Yukina..." Yusuke commented kicking Koenma's binky ou tof the toddler's reach.  
  
"And you believed him?" Botan asked, picking up the blue ball and handing it to Koenma.  
  
"Hai...anyways, Yukina deserves to know...better for her to learn now then if something...happened to Hiei..." Yusuke replied, stretching his arms over his head.  
  
"We all agree that Yukina should know, but Hiei should be the one to tell her," Koenma said, voiolently sucking on his pacifier.  
  
"What do you think, Kurama?" Botan asked, glancing glancing over the silent red-head.  
  
"I agree with both Yusuke and Koenma, I'd rather have Hiei hate me than the guilt knowing that Yukina never knew who her brother was before he...died..."  
  
'Poor Kurama...Hiei mst have said something horrible to make Kurma act like this...' Bothan thought, feeling sorry for the youko. 'I should go to the Makai and give Hiei a piece of my mind...' Botan growled inwardly, wanting to know why Hiei would hurt Kurama.  
  
"So, back to the topic I brought you two here for...as you already know, tonight is my father's party...and the Reikai Tantai team and Yukina have been invited..."  
  
"Then why isn't Kuwabara here?" Yusuke asked curiously, glancing over at the toddler.  
  
"Well...the Makai lords are coming...and a great deal of other youkai...and many of them would be offended by the presence of a human...even without knowing Kuwabara discovered Hiei and Yukina were siblings, I decided against letting him come."  
  
"I say let them be offended! And Kuwabara wouldn't bring up the whole Hiei and Yukina thing tonight..." Yusuke stated. 'The Makai lords...great...that means Hiei'll be there...I can knock some sense into that three-eyed bastard...' Yusuke thought to himself.  
  
"Yeah," Botan agreed, glancing over at Kurama momentarily. 'Maybe Kurama shouldn't come...'  
  
"Alright, he can come...but I'm begging you not to start any fights..." Koenma knelt down on his knees and held onto Yusuke's legs. "My father will kill me if his party is ruined..."  
  
"Okay, okay, I won't do anything..." Yusuke said as the deity let go of his pantlegs.  
  
"KOENMA-SAMA!!!!!" a voice cried as a group of ogres raced into the toddler's office.  
  
"Koenma-sama, your father's party is about to begin!" the blue ogre stated.  
  
"NANI!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why didn't you tell me earlier, Ogre?!" Koenma asked as he raced around the room and out the door before anyone could answer him.  
  
"I guess that means we should get the party started..." Yusuke said, itching at the deep green kimono he was being forced to wear.  
  
"Yusuke!" Botan sighed as she watched the spirit detective race out of the room, knocking a few ogres over. "Shall we go then, Kurama?"  
  
The red-head smiled slightly as he and Botan followed the path of fallen ogres towards the party.  
  
  
  
'Kami-sama...he's so beautiful,' I thought to myself as I stared at the youkai across the room. Instead of the black cloak I'd grown accustomed to see him wearing, he wore deep red, the same shade as his gorgeous eyes. He still wore black pants, but unlike the normal baggy ones I've seen him wear, these were tight, like a second skin, showing off his muscular lower body. The shirt, just tight enough to remain on his body, was draping off one shoulder, revealing part of his god-like upper body.  
  
He was currently lounging in a chair, one leg draped over the arm and the other foot was tapping impatiently on the floor. 'He doesn't seem to realize how sexy he is...' I thought, staring at his bored face, knowing that if I looked any other part of his body, I'd have to make a quick exit.  
  
I took another sip of the reddish wine from my goblet. Even though I had drunk enough glasses of the alcohol to kill a human, I had only begun to feel the effects.  
  
"Stop drinking and join the party!" Yusuke stated as he pulled me out of my comfortable chair and into the mass of bodies.  
  
"Yusuke," I growled quietly, wanting to leave the, obviously, drunken detective, but the grip he had on my wrist was too tight.  
  
"Okay, Kurama...tell me what the hell's up with you..." Yusuke demanded once he and I were out of most peoples' earshot.  
  
"What do you mean?" I asked politely, pulling my wrist back to my side as soon as he let go.  
  
"I mean, you and Hiei...what did he do?" Yusuke questioned. "And if you don't tell me, I'll get Hiei to..."  
  
"Don't threaten me..." I growled, narrowing my eyes slightly. The detective backed up a little, noticing the change in my voice.  
  
"I wasn't..." Yusuke replied. "Kurma...we all are really worried about you...I...I just wanted to help..."  
  
"I know..." I sighed, my voice softening. "He rejected me..."  
  
"Huh?" was Yusuke's response.  
  
"I...I told him my feelings...and he rejected me..." I replied, forcing myself not to relive the night I had almost raped Hiei.  
  
"Gomen...I didn't think Hiei would've..." Yusuke said quietly. "I...thought you two had a fight or something...not that Hiei rejected you...are you sure you didn't misunderstand something he said?"  
  
"No...I understood perfectly..." I answered. 'He pushed me away and left...there is no way I could misunderstand that...'  
  
"I'm going to talk to Hiei..." Yusuke stated. He began to walk away, but I stopped him.  
  
"You...can't! It is my problem, not yours!" I pointed out.  
  
"It involves my friends, it's automatically my problem," Yusuke replied, pulling his arm out of my grasp and continued walking in Hiei's direction.  
  
  
  
"Hiei, stop sitting around...socialize a bit..." Murkro stated, glaring at the Koorime.  
  
"Hn."  
  
"If you say that one more time..." Murkro growled, knowing the fire demon wouldn't move from his seat until the end of the party, when he was allowed to leave.   
  
"Hn."  
  
"You're impossible..." Murkro stated, sighing as she walked away from the Koorime. She saw the spirit detective, Yusuke Urameshi, walk up to the youkai as soon as she left.  
  
"Hiei..haven't seen you in a while..." Yusuke said, looking down at the bored heir.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"I wanted to talk to you about Kurama," Yusuke replied, noticing a flicker of emotion in Hiei's eyes when he mentioned the kitsune's name. "So, what exactly happened between you two?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Oh, then why has Kurama been sulking for months?" Yusuke asked curiously, sitting down in a nearby chair.  
  
"How should I know?" Hiei retorted, still staring into space.  
  
"Why did you reject him?" Yusuke asked, glaring at Hiei.  
  
'Reject...I...I didn't reject him...' "It is none of your business..."  
  
"You broke one of my best friends' hearts...it is my business!" Yusuke replied, raising his voice.  
  
'Broke...his heart?' "Hn."  
  
"Yeah, well...'hn' doesn't answer my question, Hiei. I thought you cared about Kurama..." Yusuke retorted. He stared at Hiei and saw the youkai's eyes widen slightly. "And Hiei...Kuwabara found out who Yukina's brother is...so I suggest you start to think of something to say to Yukina.  
  
Yusuke turne to leave, but stopped moving when he felt Hiei's energy rise quickly. He felt a burst of heat fly past his hear, then watched as a great portion of beings in front of him begin to burn.  
  
"Next time, detective...I won't miss..."  
  
"Next time, Hiei, may come sooner than you expected," Yusuke replied. He spun around as he clenched his fist, then puched the chair, but the small youkai was already gone.  
  
"Hn."  
  
"DON'T 'HN' ME HIEI!!!" Yusuke exclaimed as he saw teh demon out of the corner of his eye. "REI-GUN!!"  
  
Hiei dodged the blast and watched as the wall he was in front of crumbled. He unsheathed his katana and raced towards Yusuke. By the look on Yusuke's face, Hiei could tell he had surprised him.  
  
"Stop it, Hiei!" a voice called out as Hiei's sword began to slice though Yusuke's abdomen. He dislodged the blade and stepped back when he heard the voice. Yusuke dropped to the floor, clutching his bleeding side as Yukina and Kuwabara raced over. The ice apparition kenlt down next to Yusuke and placed her hands on his side, healing the supposedly fatal wound.  
  
"Hiei, you bastard, what the hell's wrong with you!?" Kuwabara asked, stepping between Hiei and Yusuke, who was already starting to get up.  
  
"Why would you hurt Yusuke, Hiei?" Yukina asked, tears falling down her face and solidifying before they hit the ground. Hiei lowered his gaze, unable to look at his crying sister. He looked around the room and saw the urned bodies, the crumbling wall, the floor stained in Yusuke's blood, the fearful expressions on almost everyone's face, especially Koenma's, and the red-head standing still, unfazed by the destruction around him.  
  
Hiei left the room as quickly as he could adn didn't stop until he felt a hand clamp don on his shoulder. He could read teh ki, which made him want to run even faster.  
  
"Don't keep running Hiei."  
  
'Kurama...' "Gomen."  
  
"What are you apologizing for?" Kurama asked, moving closer to Hiei as he wrapped his arms around Hiei's chest. "I'm so sorry...I...I didn't mean to scare you..."  
  
"Let go Kurama..." Hiei replied, turning around in Kurama's arms, forcing himself not to show the fear he felt.  
  
"Why would I do that?" Kurama questioned as Hiei looked into his green eyes which were beginning to turn gold.  
  
  
  
Authoress: O.O  
  
Hiei and Kurama: *not here*  
  
Authoress: woah...that sucks, doesn't it, Hiei...  
  
Yusuke: O.o...dude...if I'm thinking what I'm thinking...*backs away from authoress*  
  
  
  
Authoress: I SAID this would be partially one sided...poor, innocent Hiei...DAMN YOU YOUKO KURAMA!!!! And this time, I need at least...fifteen reviews to get my lazy ass in motion...kay? 


	3. Blame

Authoress: *sighs*...this is the fourth chapter I'm updating on today...*stares at bloody stumps  
  
that were once fingers* woah...that's interesting...  
  
Hiei: *not here*  
  
Kurama: *dazed and confused*  
  
Kuwabara: So, what happened between Kurama and Hiei???? *hands printed copy of chapters  
  
one and two back to Authoress*  
  
Yusuke: isn't it obvious, baka...*glares at Kuwabara*  
  
Authoress: *closes closet door, locking Kurama inside* now I've got to find Hiei...*searches  
  
internet, getting very *ahem* interesting sites* Then I'll make Kurama talk to him...damn  
  
Koorime...where did he go this time?...I NEED YOU TO WRITE THIS CHAPTER HIEI!!!!!!...  
  
Hiei: *twitches furiously as he walks into the room with a large pot filled with ice cream* hn...  
  
Authoress: yay, now that you're here, we can start *cracks knuckles* would someone mind  
  
terribly if Kurama was let out of the closet...there are a few things in there he might not want to  
  
be near...  
  
Kuwabara: *furrowing eyebrows, opens closet door* AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!! *dashes out of  
  
room as Kurama, followed by numerous others fall out of closet*  
  
Kurama: x.x  
  
Sesshomaru: *sees Authoress and runs, closely followed by Miroku, Koga, and Jaken*  
  
Kenshin: um...Sano? Are you alright? *pokes unconscious rooster*  
  
Sano: *mumbles about pocky sticks invading his privacy*  
  
Alucard: *eye twitches*  
  
Amon: *hides behind Sano, getting his gun ready to shoot the vampire*  
  
Vash: THE LIGHT!!!! ^__________^  
  
Wolfwood: *lays on the floor, hoping no one will notice him and his pack of cigarettes*  
  
Ryuichi and Shuichi: O.O...hi?  
  
Yuki and Hiro: *eyes twitch furiously* *race out of room, dragging two idiots (Look at the last  
  
two people to come out of the closet) along*  
  
Authoress: O.o;;;...anyways, now on to the story...and for a little  
  
warning..WARNING!!!...*points* I warned ya people...there will be a little...INTERMISSION...  
  
so don't think that that is the end...kay?  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho, Rurouni Kenshin, Witch Hunter Robin, Trigun,  
  
Hellsing, Gravitation, or Inuyasha...I don't even have a pocky stick to my name...*sobs*  
  
Chapter Three  
  
I opened my eyes slowly and furrowed my eyebrows when I saw a sky above me. I sat up,  
  
looking around the unfamiliar surroundings, then realized I was in the Makai. 'What happened?   
  
I was at King Yama's party...then...' I thought, but couldn't remember anything after Yusuke  
  
talking to me.   
  
I stood up, my whole body protesting the sudden movement. I gasped in pain, clutching  
  
my chest, which felt like it was on fire. I stared down at my hands, seeing fresh blood and dried  
  
blood underneath my fingernails. 'Nani?' I looked down at my chest, seeing the front of the  
  
kimono I wore at the party was stained by blood. I looked around and saw the grass and nearby  
  
trees were splattered in blood and the trees' bark had scratches in them, scratches made by claws.   
  
I also noticed the Makai plants surrounding me, plants I used in my youko life to suck to youki  
  
from another demon and to tie them down, and they couldn't get up until the plant let go.  
  
I wondered momentarily if I had gotten into a fight and my youko aspect took over, but  
  
then saw something that disproved that idea, small, black spheres laying in the grass, glittering in  
  
the sunlight. 'Hiroseki (A/N: did I spell it right?) stones...' I recognize the gems immediately,  
  
then bent over and picked one up.   
  
It was perfectly spherical, its obsidian color making it very unique. I had only seen blue  
  
and cream colored tear gems before and tried to think of what Koorime would cry black gems. I  
  
stepped back, dropping the stone onto the grassy floor where it rolled next to a pile of similar  
  
stones. 'Hiei...what did I do to him?' I asked myself, staring down at my hands, seeing the  
  
caking  
  
blood on my fingers. 'Hiei's blood...' I realized this as I smelt the blood, recognizing the scent of  
  
the fire youkai.  
  
'what...what happened?' I wondered, staring at the tear gems, then saw a piece of gauzy  
  
material. 'Youko...'   
  
'heh...took you long enough to figure that out...'  
  
'what did you do to Hiei?!!' I asked the kitsune, hearing him snicker. 'what did you do  
  
to him!?'  
  
'you should be able to figure out on your own, Shuichi,' he replied, chuckling. 'I told  
  
you to let me out every once in a while...but you never did...too bad that Koorime was so close  
  
when I took over...'  
  
"N...no..." My eyes widened as I fell to my knees, shaking my head as I tried to get the  
  
sadistic laughter out of my head. 'Why...why would you do something like that? You wouldn't  
  
be able to live in the Nigenkai if I let you out...'  
  
'Who said anything about remaining in this human world?'  
  
'...'  
  
'And don't worry, I had fun with that little fire youkai...he made me harder than I've ever  
  
been before...he didn't make any noise, but I bet you'd like to fuck that Koorime's ass too...too  
  
bad I got to him first...'  
  
My eyes shut, trying to erase the images the youko was forcing me to remember. I could  
  
hear Hiei's voice echoing in my mind, feel his trembling body beneath mine, the Makai plants  
  
holding his arms and legs down tightly, making him helpless, unable to protect himself.   
  
I stood up, Kurama's memories still flooding though my mind as I began walking towards  
  
a portal that would get me to the Nigenkai. The memories finally stopped, letting me see where I  
  
was. I looked around, my eyes wet with tears, and saw Genkai's temple and the Koorime girl  
  
sitting in the doorway. Her red eyes met mine as I collapsed, the pain in my heart far greater than  
  
any injury I had gotten from the fire youkai as he struggled to free himself.  
  
"Where's Kurama?" Yusuke asked, glaring at us. Genkai returned the gaze as I looked  
  
down at the floor. "C'mon, obasan, I just wanna talk to him..."  
  
"Why?" Genkai glanced over at me momentarily, then went back to glaring at her student.  
  
"I want to know how things worked out between him and Hiei, as if it's any of your  
  
business," Yusuke retorted.  
  
"I'll go see if Kurama wants to speak with you..." I said quietly, standing up. I began  
  
walking out of the room, but stopped for a moment when Yusuke spoke to me.  
  
"Thanks, Yukina," Yusuke replied, the spirit detective's voice softening.   
  
'Kurama...Yusuke's worried...I can tell. He sensed Kurama's energy, which is unusually  
  
low, but thankfully, Yusuke doesn't know what happened. I don't think Kurama wants anyone to  
  
know...but I do...' I thought sadly as I opened the door, closing it quietly behind myself, then  
  
looked down at the red-head on the futon, his green eyes closed, but I could tell he was awake.   
  
"Yusuke wanted to talk to you..."  
  
"I don't want to see him..." Kurama replied, his voice hoarse. I sighed as I sat down next  
  
to him, trying to ignore the sadness in his voice. "Why would anyone want to talk to me...after  
  
what I did..."   
  
"I know, and I will continue to speak to you...it wasn't your fault, Kurama...you cannot  
  
control your youko aspect..." I pointed out quietly.  
  
"But I still should have been able to do something..." Kurama said. "Hiei...I would never want  
  
to harm him...he...he should have fought back..."  
  
"He didn't want to hurt you...and eventually, he did..." I commented, hoping that Hiei was  
  
alright, wherever he was.   
  
"...how old is your brother, Yukina?" Kurama asked, his verdant eyes glancing over at me.   
  
I smiled slightly, glad he was changing the awkward subject. I converted the amount of time in  
  
my head, from Koorime to nigen years.  
  
"About sixteen in human years...just like me, why?" I replied, noticing Kurama's  
  
expression change to surprise, then back to sadness. 'I wonder if my brother, whoever he is,  
  
knows that we are twins...' "What is it Kurama?"  
  
"I...is that why you are so small? Because you are not yet an adult?" Kurama questioned,  
  
his eyes closing.  
  
"Hai...either that, or my father was a very small youkai...I am not sure which..." I  
  
answered truthfully, remembering that my mother was very tall, even compared to other Koorime.   
  
'She never spoke of my father until she was on her death bed...when she told me that I had a  
  
brother...' "Why did you want to know, Kurama?"  
  
"I was just wondering...do you have any idea who your brother is?" Kurama asked,  
  
opening his green eyes again to look at me.  
  
"I...I don't know for sure who he could be...my mother never told me much about him...or  
  
our father, so he might not even look like Koorime..." I replied, sensing that Kurama wanted to  
  
laugh, but he contained his laughter. "Nani?"  
  
"...it's nothing..." Kurama said dully, a slight smile on his face.   
  
"You know who my brother is, don't you? Almost everyone knows...except me...and  
  
Kazuma..." I stated, looking down at Kurama. He sat up, nodding his head curtly. "Who is  
  
it...and why are all of you keeping it a secret?"  
  
"...your brother asked us to..." Kurama replied, looking up at the ceiling. "How would  
  
you describe your brother?"  
  
"...all I've learned is that he is a master swordsman...I guess he would be cold,  
  
emotionless...quiet, but have a temper...not very trusting..." I said, seeing the kitsune smile.  
  
"Why would he have such a personality?"   
  
"Because of what he is...the Forbidden Child of the Koorime...everyone sees him as an  
  
abomination...a monster compared to the rest of us youkai..." I replied. "He wouldn't know the  
  
meaning of kindness, trust, love...just hatred...loneliness..."  
  
"And what do you think your brother would do if someone tried to show him love?"  
  
"I don't know..." I answered, wondering what deeper meaning Kurama's questions  
  
had...then realized why he was so curious about my brother all of a sudden. "He would run...Hiei  
  
wouldn't know what it means or how to return it..."  
  
"I was wondering when you would discover who your brother is..." Kurama commented,  
  
his lips slightly upturned. "He didn't want you to know...thinking you would be happier not  
  
knowing..." I laughed, surprising Kurama. "Nani?"  
  
"I was wondering why you had this..." I replied, handing him a small object that he had in  
  
his hand when he had arrived at the temple that morning. Kurama stared at the black tear gem,  
  
then wrapped his hand around it.   
  
"Gomen...I..."  
  
"You did nothing wrong, Kurama...it might take Hiei awhile to see that, but next time I  
  
see him, I'll talk to him...I'm sure he doesn't blame -you-," I pointed out, seeing a glimmer of  
  
disagreement in Kurama's eyes.  
  
"I raped him, how could he forgive me..." Kurama mumbled, lowering his eyes. "How  
  
could you look at me now...knowing what I did to your brother..."  
  
"Stop blaming yourself, Hiei cares for you more than anyone else...it's quite obvious  
  
you're the only person he trusts completely..."   
  
"And I betrayed his trust...I've known Hiei for ten years...it took me a decade to get him  
  
to sit down next to me and talk, even if it is a few words! And I destroyed it...in one night..."  
  
"Kurama, please, it was your youko aspect, not the Kurama Hiei knows and trusts..." I  
  
replied, wrapping my arms around the kitsune, who was on the verge of tears. 'In time, Hiei will  
  
see that as well...and you'll be there for him...' I thought, feeling the red headed human bury his  
  
head into my shoulder and sob quietly.  
  
  
  
Authoress: Fwnahaha *gags* Sawdust...smoke...AH IT BURNS!!!  
  
Yusuke: *looks over at Authoress curiously*  
  
Authoress: *coughs* I'm dying of an asthma attack here, and you sit and look at me!!!!  
  
Kurama: you sound fine now...  
  
Authoress: *glares at kitsune* grrrrr...*clears throat* sorry, stacking wood is fun...especially wif  
  
the fire goin' and such...*coughs violently* But, this isn't the end of our chapter...I just needed to  
  
stall for some time...Kuwabara and Chu are currently tracking down Hiei...we needed him for the  
  
next part...*glances around the room* Um...I shouldn't have sent those two on a mission, should  
  
I?  
  
Koenma: *shakes head* you sent the two stupidest creatures to ever exist on a search for Hiei...  
  
you should have just had Kurama walk around for a while...  
  
Authoress: yeah, but then we would get arrested for 'public nudity' -_-;; Damn it...  
  
Kurama: *smiles, frightened* ...why not tie Yukina up or something? O___o;;;  
  
Hiei: *hits Kurama over the head, knocking the kitsune unconscious* hn...  
  
Authoress: YOU'RE HERE!!!!!...now, on to the rest of Chapter Three...  
  
~In the Makai~  
  
I stared down at my hands, clutching one in a fist while I stared at the other one, the one  
  
coated in Kurama's and my own blood. My entire body ached, so I remained standing, unable to  
  
sit or lay down. All I wanted to do was run, but I was too tired, my body protesting against the  
  
small movement I made to look down at my hands. I opened my left hand and stared at the small  
  
sphere of black. 'Why...'   
  
I closed my eyes, which hurt like the rest of my body. I took a deep breath, trying to calm  
  
down, but I couldn't ignore the feeling of blood slowly trickling down my body. 'I probably  
  
should tend to my wounds...' I looked down at my ripped clothing, seeing the bite marks down  
  
my chest, knowing identical marks were on my neck and thighs. I slowly sat down as I removed  
  
my shirt, or what was left of it, noticing that there were marks on my wrists and forearms from  
  
where the Makai plants held me.   
  
I struggled, that much I could remember, everything else, I forced myself to block out, not  
  
wanting to remember everything that Kurama did to me. I shivered, my body for once feeling  
  
cold. I knew why I wasn't warm, it was because I had no youki...that kitsune had stripped me of  
  
any power I had. I knew that, eventually, I would regain my strength, but until then, I would not  
  
return to Murkro. I didn't want to explain to anyone, especially her, what happened.   
  
I shivered again as I wrapped my arms around my body, leaning against a nearby tree. I  
  
winced, my backside still aching, even though the bleeding had ceased. I brought my hand to my  
  
face, feeling the bruises on my cheeks and lips. I closed my eyes, shutting out the sunlight, at the  
  
same time trying to keep the tears from falling.  
  
'Why...why would Kurama do that?' I asked myself for the thousandth time, sighing  
  
quietly. I clenched my teeth, trying to stop the shaking of my body, but I couldn't hold back the  
  
tears any longer. As the first stones began to hit the ground, I heard footsteps. I opened my eyes,  
  
but couldn't move my body as the shadowed youkai walked up to me, his claws outstretched. I  
  
stared at him, helpless as he slashed me, the poison from his nails beginning to burn immediately.   
  
I inwardly said one thing as I felt my conscious beginning to slip, 'Kurama...Gomen...'  
  
  
  
Hiei: *hacks up a hairball, eye twitching*  
  
Kurama: *glomps the fire demon, sniffling furiously*   
  
Authoress: *widens eyes* it's...it's...I don't know what the hell it is...but, if you're curious...I'll  
  
put up a new chappie, tellin' what happens to our Koorime soon...after I'd say I get like  
  
five...easy...   
  
Yusuke: *sniffle* I wasn't in this chapter...  
  
Kuwabara: yes, you were...you were talking to Yukina and Genkai for like...a moment...and I  
  
wasn't in it at ALL!!! *glares at Authoress*  
  
Kurama: *hugs Hiei furiously* I DIDN'T MEAN IT HIEI!!!! FORGIVE MEEEE!!!!!  
  
Hiei: oO;;...she did it, not you...*points at Authoress*  
  
Authoress: *glances around, seeing the bishonens glaring at her* NANI!?!?!...I didn't do it...the  
  
pink fuzz balls made me do it!!!!  
  
Hiei: *twitches*  
  
Authoress: You remember the pink fuzz balls, don't ya, Hiei? *smiles evilly* I still have to write  
  
that story...It might be in this story...maybe...  
  
Jin: If my ears w- *gets hit in the head by Touya*  
  
Authoress: and yes, those two will be in later chapters too...and I'm now SURE that they are  
  
*ahem* gooooooooooood friends...yeah, read a few stories last night...the sixth shinobi (I don't  
  
know if I spelt it right...but pretty much, that...)...read some of those stories, they're sooo  
  
good!!!!!  
  
Touya: *eye twitches*  
  
Authoress: And you *points at Touya with one of those baseball fingers (know what I mean...the  
  
#1 things?)* what is with the hair?! I mean, where do you GET that gel? *pokes Touya's hair*  
  
it's rock solid...  
  
Yusuke: I let him borrow some of my gel...  
  
Authoress: oooo....O_o...kay then...and Kuwabara uses the same stuff too, if anyone wanted to  
  
know...  
  
Hiei: -_-;  
  
Authoress: You don't use gel, Hiei...it's frickin' CEMENT in your hair!!!!...  
  
Kurama: *pets Hiei possessively, glaring at Authoress*  
  
Authoress: SHUT UP FLOWER BOY!!!...and you got, like, a portal to another dimension filled  
  
with floral greatness in your hair...so don't say anything!  
  
Kurama: I didn't...O.O;;; *backs away from Authoress, dragging Hiei*  
  
Kuwabara: *walks into room, handing out pizzas* who got the...pineapple...anchovies...and...  
  
*eyes widen*...broccoli...*drops pizza box, screams as he races out of the room*  
  
Vash: *pops out of nowhere and takes pizza, then returns to the closet* thanks!  
  
Authoress: yeah, whatever...until next time! BYE!!!! 


	4. Mission

Authoress: *stares at notes littered across computer desk* okay...is this the fourth or fifth  
  
chappie?...um...chappie one, Hiei Runs...two...Kurama rapes him...Three...Kurama tells Yukina  
  
and Hiei is captured...so four...OKAY!!! with that settled, listen to the rants of the peanut gallery  
  
for a moment while I start up the creativity *sounds of revving engines*  
  
Hiei: *glares*  
  
Kurama: o.O  
  
Koenma: *spins around in Authoress's chair* WeeeeEEEEEEeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEeeeee!!!!!!!  
  
Jin: *jumps onto chair and 'weees' with Koenma*  
  
Touya: *shakes head* -__-;;  
  
Yusuke: *sleeping*  
  
Kuwabara: *laying on top of Yusuke, snoring and drooling*  
  
Authoress: AIGHTY!!!...now, on to...chapter four of ze story!!!  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing...wait, I have Anime DVDs...^_____^...a whooole load of 'em...  
  
Chapter Four  
  
"Koenma-sama..." an ogre said quietly, slowly placing a few pieces of paper on the deity's  
  
desk, glad that the toddler hadn't noticed him. He raced out of the room as quickly as he could,  
  
sighing in relief as he took a corner, hearing Koenma screaming from his office.  
  
"NANI!!!!!!!! OGRES!!!!" Koenma called, staring down at the paper in his hands,  
  
sweating. 'No...this can't be...I just told Yusuke and the others that they could  
  
retire...permanently...' Koenma thought to himself. "Get Yusuke, Kurama, and Kuwabara in my  
  
office IMMEDIATELY!!!!"  
  
"Hai, Koenma-sama," one of the ogres said as he ran out of the room.  
  
'Kami-sama...this can't be good...' Koenma said inwardly, staring down at the list of  
  
names. 'All of them...in just a few weeks...'  
  
"What do you want NOW?" Yusuke asked as he leaned against the toddler's desk, glaring  
  
at his 'ex' boss.  
  
"Look at this," Koenma replied, handing Yusuke a packet of papers. The spirit detective  
  
stared at them, Kuwabara looking at them over his shoulder, while Kurama sat in a nearby chair  
  
calmly.  
  
"What does this have to do with us? They're a bunch of dead people...dying of natural  
  
causes...AND?" Yusuke pointed out, glancing down at the deity.  
  
"All of them, EVERY SINGLE ONE! are Reikai Tantai...and that's just the ones we  
  
know of...most of the spirit detectives are still missing...and, they didn't die of natural  
  
causes...they were all murdered. And, all of you might be next...so we have to stop this new  
  
threat, before anyone else is killed..." Koenma replied, leaning back in his chair.  
  
"Who did it?" Kuwabara asked, glancing up at the toddler.  
  
"I don't know who...but I know what," Koenma said, then looked over at Kurama. "A  
  
dream-weaver..."  
  
"I thought they died out," Kurama stated, containing his surprise. 'The last of them died  
  
five or six centuries ago...' he thought to himself.  
  
"When one dream-weaver dies, another is born...so they never really 'die' out..." Koenma  
  
replied quietly, remembering how many times his father had told him to capture, but not to kill,  
  
the dream-weaver.   
  
"What is a dream-weaver?" Kuwabara asked curiously, glancing back down at the list.  
  
"It is a creature, a youkai, that...has abilities unlike anyone else. They can manipulate  
  
anyone and anything...making that person 'live' in a dreamlike world...most are peaceful, hardly  
  
ever using their powers, but some have been able to nearly destroy the Makai, Reikai, Ningenkai,  
  
and, when it existed, the Netherworld (A/N...I don't know its name in Japanese...kay?)."  
  
"You've heard of them, Kurama?" Yusuke questioned, turning to look at the youko. The  
  
red-head nodded, glancing up at the two human men.  
  
"I lived during the last dream-weaver's life. I never met him...but he well known among  
  
the thieves, since he was one himself, one of the most successful too..." Kurama replied quietly.   
  
"If he had used his abilities for something other than pillaging, then none of us would be here right  
  
now..."  
  
"Hai...back then, there were no Makai lords to keep peace..." Koenma stated.   
  
"But...there's another reason I asked the three of you here. There are two people in particular  
  
who have been kidnaped by this dream-weaver...and we've already received ransoms...a third of  
  
the Makai for each..."  
  
"Who?" Yusuke asked, furrowing his eyebrows.  
  
"Hiei and Shura...and Murkro and Yomi are about to eat my head or torture me for the  
  
rest of my life for letting this dream-weaver to live freely..." Koenma replied. "I'm not going to  
  
ask you three to work on this case...I just wanted you t-"  
  
"What do you mean, we're not working this case?! Of course we are! Where's this  
  
'dream-weaver?'" Yusuke asked, throwing a fist into the air. "Hiei's stuck there and we're some  
  
of the few Reikai Tantai left, it's our duty to help!!!"  
  
"This coming from the one who's always blaming me because Keiko's mad at him..."  
  
Koenma muttered under his breath, getting hit in the head with a bunch of papers and falling out  
  
of his chair.  
  
"So, where is he, Koenma?" Kuwabara asked, looking down at the deity on the floor, the  
  
toddler's head beginning to swell where Yusuke hit him.  
  
"In the Makai...but I want to warn all of you...if this dream-weaver single handedly  
  
captured Hiei and Shura...he might be a little difficult to beat...and, I suggest, none of you get  
  
stuck in one of that youkai's spells...if you do, then you might not be coming back..." Koenma  
  
replied. "It looks like this particular dream-weaver can suck someone's life from them while  
  
they're in his world..."  
  
"Don't worry," Yusuke stated, grinning. 'Yeah, go beat some demon's ass, then make  
  
fun of Hiei for getting captured! What could be better?!'  
  
"Then I'm sending some of my other Reikai Tantai with you..." Koenma said. He  
  
continued before any one of the three could ask who, "I'm sure you remember them...Jin and  
  
Touya..."  
  
"They're spirit detectives?" Yusuke asked curiously. 'Great, two shinobi to help us...at  
  
least it'll be entertaining!' Yusuke thought to himself, remembering the kindred spirit with the  
  
ability to control wind.  
  
"Hai...after the Dark Tournament, they became Reikai Tantai...I'll have them meet up with  
  
you in the Makai...they're out right now getting information on the dream-weaver," Koenma  
  
replied.  
  
"Okay, then let's go!!!" Yusuke said enthusiastically, dragging Kurama and Kuwabara out  
  
of the deity's office and down the hallways. 'I hope they're successful...if not, then we have a big  
  
problem...' Koenma thought to himself, sighing.  
  
Authoress: Fwnahahahah!!!! THAT...is a great chapter...JIN WAS IN IT...AND  
  
KOENMA!!!...well, not exactly having Jin...IN...it...but he was mentioned!  
  
Hiei: *not here*  
  
Kurama: Hiei wouldn't have been captured so easily...  
  
Authoress: HE WAS, SO THERE!!!!  
  
Authoress's Evil Sister: (A.K.A. Bara-aoi) ahhahahahah...Hiei and Kurama *goes into fantasy  
  
mode*  
  
Authoress: *eye twitches* well...kay then...  
  
Authoress's OTHER Evil Sister: (A.K.A. Whispering-yoko) *is confused*  
  
Authoress: LEAVE ME BEEE!!!!!!!!...*glances around at bumblebees hanging around head,  
  
stinging ears* YOU TOO!!!!!  
  
Other Evil Sister: *continues to buzz* *pokes Authoress's shoulder*  
  
Bara-aoi: *still in fantasy mode, drooling* aaaaaaahhhhh, the Yaoi goodness...  
  
Authoress: see where I get it?...now, before my rant takes up a whole page...seven more reviews  
  
before a brand-spankin' new chappie...yeah, it'll even smell fresh!  
  
Kuwabara: *sniffs keyboard* uh...it smells like...keyboards...O____O;;  
  
Authoress: Go away *eye twitches uncontrollably* 'n', those were my sister's Fanfiction names, if  
  
you (for some strange reasons) wanted to check out their stuff...Bara-aoi's into H/K stories...bye! 


	5. Changed

Authoress: whooo hoo!!!...now, hm...I'm up to chapter...five...yeah...I've been trying to update at  
  
least once a week...so I'm gonna have to type a teeny bit more...  
  
Hiei: you're on the computer four or five hours a day...-_-;;  
  
Kurama: he's right...that's not good for you...  
  
Authoress: Neither is Yaoi, but I'm still writin' it...so shaddup!  
  
Yusuke: *opens one eye* I'm TRYING to sleep here!  
  
Hiei: *torches Yusuke without a second thought*  
  
Authoress: finally...some peace and quiet...but Yusuke won't die so easily in the story, Hiei...so  
  
don't try to murder him...I'd have to then torture you or somethin'  
  
Kurama: *holds Hiei possessively* don't you dare!  
  
Authoress: I've tortured both of you already, so there! *sticks out tongue* And, don't worry,  
  
Kurama...I've got a load of evil ideas for you...*sigh* temptation of the weak...eh?  
  
Kurama: *eyes wide, race out of the room*   
  
Hiei: temptation...of the...weak? *clueless expression*  
  
Authoress: *sigh* my naive little Hiei...*smiles* he's so cute sometimes!  
  
Hiei: Who ya callin' cute!?  
  
Authoress: *grabs Hiei's small nose between middle and index finger* I've got your nose!!  
  
Hiei: *screams, searching for a mirror*  
  
Disclaimer: -_-;;...so depressing...I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho, kay? I don't own Hiei's nose  
  
either...*sigh* too bad...  
  
Chapter Five  
  
  
  
"Do you seriously think my father would pay that ransom?" Shura asked, glaring up at the  
  
youki sitting in front of him. 'Papa wouldn't pay...I'll get out of here...and torture that  
  
bastard...how dare he kidnap me...' the pink-eyed youkai thought to himself, studying his captor's  
  
features. The demon was average looking, almost human, except for the long nails on his  
  
unusually lengthy fingers, his cat-like grey eyes, and the pointed ears that twitched slightly with  
  
Shura's outburst.  
  
"Don't worry, if Yomi doesn't, then you'll die, he knows that...he'll pay..." the youkai  
  
replied quietly, his deep, monotonous voice sending shivers down Shura's spine. "So will  
  
Murkro...and soon if she wants that Jaganashi back alive..."  
  
'He...he captured Hiei...then I won't be the only one that will torture him...but, if he was  
  
powerful enough to kidnap both of us...and hold Hiei -and- me here at the same time...he must be  
  
very powerful...and confident...' Shura thought to himself, surprised that the small fire demon had  
  
been captured as well.   
  
"I forgot...you didn't know about Hiei's capture...after I tied you up, I went and got  
  
him...funny, I didn't even get a scratch from him...at least you put up a fight..." Shura's captor  
  
stated cooly, touching his pale cheek where there was a large gash. Shura smirked, noticing that  
  
the bleeding hadn't stopped yet, even though he had been sitting in his dark, damp cell for some  
  
time. He wasn't sure how long he had been here, since he was never fed, never allowed to see  
  
daylight. "If you want...I'll put him in this room...I'm sure you're quite lonely..."  
  
"When I escape, I'll make your death long and painful..." Shura threatened, tightening the  
  
muscles in his arms, but he couldn't break the wards that were tied tightly around his arms. The  
  
wards, now beginning to scrape away at his skin from the numerous times he had tried to break  
  
free, had slowly been sucking away whatever youki he had. 'Hiei didn't put up a fight...why?'  
  
Shura asked himself, glaring at his tormentor, wishing the tall youkai would leave him alone so he  
  
could attempt to rip the wards off again, knowing his struggle was futile.  
  
"I would want my death no other way...but, I assure you that you won't be the one to kill  
  
me..." the youkai said, glancing around the room with a bored expression on his face. "And, you  
  
shall address me as Master Kiba from now on."  
  
"Like hell I will..." Shura muttered. Kiba turned to leave the room, then looked back at  
  
Shura, a smile that showed his pointed fangs on his face.   
  
  
  
"Don't worry, you'll know what hell is soon enough..."  
  
  
  
"So, this is the place we're supposed to meet Jin and Touya?" Yusuke asked outloud,  
  
staring into the Makai forest. "No one's around..."  
  
"Maybe they got caught by that dream-weaver already..." Kuwabara suggested, shivering  
  
furiously. 'This place is givin' me the creeps...there are so many dead souls hanging around  
  
here...all of them are pretty pissed off too...' Kuwabara thought to himself, wanting to get away  
  
from the forest as soon as possible.  
  
"T' hell with that dream-weaver!" A voice from behind the three Reikai Tantai stated,  
  
chuckling as two humans and youko turned around. "If it isn't Yusuke Urameshi..."  
  
  
  
"Jin..." Yusuke said, smiling at the youkai, whose ears were wiggling already. He then  
  
saw Touya standing next to the red headed wind master, and could see a slight smile on the ice  
  
master's face.  
  
  
  
"Can we please get out of here now?" Kuwabara asked, shivering again.   
  
  
  
"We'll have to go through this forest if you want to get to the dream-weaver...this forest  
  
is where they pile all of the bodies..." Touya commented, looking past Kuwabara, Yusuke, and  
  
Kurama to the forest.   
  
  
  
"What have you found out about the dream-weaver?" Kurama asked the two demons,  
  
moving away from the forest slowly, the restless souls beginning to affect him as well.  
  
  
  
"Seems like no one knows about this dream-weaver, except for the fact he's very  
  
powerful..." Touya replied, glancing over at Kurama.   
  
  
  
"This one can suck the life right outta ya," Jin added, looking at Kurama. "Not just the  
  
life, either..."  
  
  
  
"What do you mean?" Kuwabara asked, his eye twitching as he felt another chill run up his  
  
spine. 'Damn goose bumps...' Kuwabara thought to himself, rubbing his arms.  
  
  
  
"Whoever goes in there doesn't come back out the same..." Touya answered, his vague  
  
reply confusing Yusuke and Kuwabara. "All of the Reikai Tantai who have gone in there were  
  
from between fourteen and thirty human years old...they come back out dead, their bodies aged at  
  
least a century..."  
  
  
  
"Woah, this guy can suck out your youth...that's just plain creepy..." Kuwabara thought  
  
outloud, receiving nods from Yusuke and Jin.  
  
  
  
"So, how can we beat him?" Yusuke asked the two demons. 'We better get that guy  
  
quickly...or else Hiei might be in serious danger...'  
  
  
  
"We can't kill him..." Jin pointed out, getting a 'I know that' look from Yusuke. "We  
  
have 't' put wards on him...then he can't use his youki..."  
  
  
  
"But we also have to make sure not to get pulled into his spell...if we do, we might not be  
  
able to get back out..." Touya continued, glancing over at his partner for a moment. Yusuke and  
  
Kurama noticed the quick look of affection he gave the wind master. 'Thought so...' the Reikai  
  
Tantai thought to himself, guessing Kurama had figured it out as well.  
  
"Okay...what exactly is this guy's spell? Koenma didn't exactly tell us a lot..." Yusuke stated,  
  
glancing from Touya to Jin.  
  
  
  
"He has the ability to make anyone under his spell to live in a 'dream' world where anything is  
  
possible...and, those under his spell, believe that this imaginary dimension is the real world..."   
  
Kurama said quietly, knowing such information because the last dream-weaver was his rival, so he  
  
had found out as much information about the creature as possible. "Soon, they become  
  
dependant on his imaginary world, and cannot be awoken from the spell..."  
  
"And this dream-weaver's powers are distorted from what we've learned of others like him...in  
  
most dream worlds, no harm can come to those under the spell, but this dream-weaver seems to  
  
be able to wound someone, wounds that are inflicted on the real body..." Touya added, glancing  
  
over at the youko. 'Kurama has obviously heard of dream-weavers...so he knows what he's  
  
getting into...but Yusuke and Kuwabara don't...' the ice master thought to himself.  
  
"Okay, so we don't get sucked into his little imaginary world, no big deal..." Yusuke stated. 'If  
  
we don't get caught in his spell, then we won't be harmed, or have our lives sucked from us...'  
  
Yusuke thought to himself.  
  
"That's where the problem is, Urameshi...there is no way to fight off this spell..." Jin replied,  
  
sighing. 'If we go in there, we're good as dead, unless the dream-weaver wants us to get in...' Jin  
  
said inwardly.   
  
"Then, how are we going to capture the dream-weaver?" Yusuke asked, glancing at the three men  
  
who knew the most about the dream-weavers.  
  
"You can't..." Kuwabara mumbled, shivering again as he felt a new energy behind him...and he  
  
could tell this one was still alive.  
  
"Very good, the Master told us all of you were intelligent..." a high-pitched voice said from the  
  
depths of the forest, making all of the Reikai Tantai turn to look at the ominous trees.  
  
"Nani?" Yusuke was the first to catch a glimpse of the small creature as it darted between the  
  
trees. 'What is that?' Yusuke asked himself as he saw the nimble youkai come out from the trees,  
  
revealing its petite form and long, sharpened claws.  
  
"A goblin..." Touya stated, glaring at the tiny creature. The tiny demon growled, bearing its  
  
sharp, yellowing fangs. Its green skin and large, bloodshot eyes made it look extremely ugly, but  
  
what made the goblin even more disgusting was its 'jewelry,' bones with flesh still attached,  
  
eyeballs, and pieces of flesh strung around its neck and forehead with, what looked like, the sinew  
  
of humans. (A/N...nice...very grotesque...^____^)  
  
'Goblin...that thing is plain Ugly to me...' Yusuke thought to himself as he aimed his spirit gun at  
  
the green youkai, but discovered that the monster was gone. 'He moves just as quickly as  
  
Hiei...and he's even smaller...this will be fun...'  
  
"Don't attempt to kill us, spirit detective...the Master wanted to see all of you...maybe you will  
  
want to barter for your friend's life...hm?" the goblin said, smirking sadistically as he threw an  
  
object, wrapped in black, at Kurama. The youko caught the thin, heavy thing and unwrapped it,  
  
discovering that it was Hiei's katana. 'They really do have Hiei...' Kurama thought to himself,  
  
knowing that he had never seen Hiei without his beloved sword.  
  
"Hey, that's Hiei's sword..." Kuwabara said, looking at the blade in Kurama's hands. 'I'm the  
  
only one allowed to beat that shrimp!' Kuwabara thought to himself. In his mind, he always  
  
believed he would one day defeat Hiei.  
  
"What do you want?" Yusuke asked, rolling his eyes at Kuwabara, wanting to call the orange-  
  
haired ningen an 'oaf,' but he didn't think now was the time.  
  
"Meet the Master...he will decide what he wants you to do..." the goblin replied, walking towards  
  
Yusuke. "We show you the way...but know that you won't return..." The green skinned creature  
  
laughed at this, its high-pitched voice getting on everyone's nerves.  
  
Yusuke looked around at the rest of the Reikai Tantai and saw that they were ready to beat the  
  
living crap out of the goblin as well. "Fine, we'll come..." Yusuke replied, forcing himself not to  
  
kill their guide.  
  
'When I get out of here...I'll make sure to have wards banned...' Shura said to himself as he felt  
  
his skin begin to become raw from all of the times he attempted to shred the wards on nearby  
  
rocks that had broken off of the wall, mostly to his kicking of the solid stone, but after a while, he  
  
had decided that, without his youki, he would be unable to break the wall down.  
  
"Good...still full of energy..." his tormentor stated from the other side of the cell's door as he  
  
unlocked the iron door. Shura glared at him as he walked into the room, then saw something was  
  
slung over the youkai's right shoulder. "You might want to stop using all of your energy...you'll  
  
need it when you meet your fate..."  
  
Shura gnawed on his lower lip, knowing that if he said anything offensive to the youkai, Kiba  
  
would kick him again, like he had already done on numerous occasions, but Shura now could feel  
  
his fractured ribs protesting every movement he made in attempt to escape.  
  
"I brought you some company...just make sure he doesn't die on me...I can't have him dead..."  
  
Kiba said, throwing the limp form from his shoulder. Shura stared at the body for a moment, then  
  
recognized the tattoo that was partially hidden by wards that were tied so tightly around the  
  
youki's arms, the circulation had been almost entirely cut off.   
  
'Hiei...what happened to him?' Shura asked himself, attempting to drag himself over to the  
  
youkai, growling when he remembered his legs had been tied so he couldn't move around the  
  
room. When he finally reached the fire demon, he could see that Hiei's entire body had changed,  
  
and he could only think of one way to describe the obvious changes in the other heir.   
  
'He's...older...'  
  
Authoress: *snorts* poor Hiei...hahahahahahhaha...  
  
Kurama: *drools* he's older?  
  
Authoress: SHUT UP!!!! that ain't right...calm the hormones fox boy!!!  
  
Hiei: *no longer here*  
  
Koenma: *sleeping on top of computer tower*  
  
Authoress: I bet all of ya can guess what will happen next...but I won't destroy the plot for those  
  
of you who haven't figured it out yet...and, one question...do you like this format or the other one  
  
more?...this one takes up more room...but it's easier to read...oO...don't care really...just wanted  
  
to know from my lovely reviewers...  
  
Kuwabara: *shivers* that goblin thing was creepy...  
  
Authoress: yes, I love my gore...NOTHING IS GOOD WITHOUT A LIL' BLOOD AND  
  
GUTS!!!...^_______________^ *does dance* don't worry, it'll get worse...  
  
Touya: *eye twitches*  
  
Authoress: that reminds me...does anyone want some Yaoi goodness between Jin and Touya to be  
  
in this story or should I write a whole 'nother story for how they get together? *thinks* *eye  
  
twitches* woah...imagine what I was thinking...Jin's horn...yowza...*bows* GOMEN...that was  
  
very bad and perverted of me...  
  
Jin: O_____O;;;;;;;;;;;;  
  
Touya: ....  
  
Authoress: okay...won't imagine that anymore...until I know what you people think!!! um...five  
  
(my favorite number!) more reviews before a new chapter!!! See ya then! 


	6. Dreams

Authoress: Hi everyone! Back again wif chappie six...heh...  
  
Kurama: O.O;;;  
  
Hiei: *attempting to sneak out of the room unseen*  
  
Authoress: *grabs Hiei and sits on top of him* oh no ya don't...we start off with you this time...so  
  
stay!  
  
Hiei: *grumbles* hn...  
  
Authoress: yesh, bow down to my awesome power of containment!  
  
Hiei: ...power of size you mean...  
  
Authoress: O.O...oh no you just didn't....*whacks Hiei repeatedly until the Koorime apologizes*  
  
Just cuz I'm five seven 'n' a half and you're like four somefin' doesn't mean anything, shrimp  
  
boy!  
  
Kurama: I thought he was older...wouldn't he have grown some?  
  
Authoress: *quickly covers kitusne's mouth* shhhhhhhhhh...wait...never mind....*sits back down  
  
on Hiei* Anyways...the story must go on!!!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho...I have not a single thing to my name...no...not even my  
  
name...WHY YOU IRONIC GODS OF NAME...NAMING!!!!!...(look up what Kanemoshi or  
  
Jessica means...^^)  
  
Chapter Six  
  
'Kami-sama...why does my head hurt so much?' I asked myself as I sat up, looking around,  
  
noticing immediately that I was no longer in the Makai's forest. 'The Ningenkai?' I recognized  
  
some of the trees as ones that grew only in the human world, but I was sure that, when I was  
  
captured, I was in the Makai.  
  
"You're not in the Ningenkai, Hiei-san..." a voice from behind me said quietly, making me whirl  
  
around. I stared at the kitsune for a moment, wondering why the redhead had a small smile on his  
  
face. He sat down next to me, his green eyes never making contact with mine.  
  
"Who are you?" 'Kurama's never called me Hiei-san...' I thought to myself, knowing there was  
  
no way that this place was the Reikai.   
  
"We're not in the Reikai either..." the young man replied, glancing over at me for a moment.  
  
"You're the first person I've met that hasn't been put under the spell completely...I'm not sure  
  
why, but I think it is because of your Jagan eye..."  
  
"Who are you?" I asked again, glaring at him. 'Spell?'  
  
"Who I am isn't important..." the man answered. The similarities between him and Kurama were  
  
uncanny, but, I could, for some reason, tell he wasn't the youko. "This form that I've taken...it is  
  
of someone you care deeply about...I chose this form, knowing you wouldn't attack me...if I  
  
looked like this..."  
  
"What are you?"  
  
"A youkai, like yourself...now, I have a question for you, Hiei-san...it is your decision if you  
  
answer it...but I can hear your every thought..." the Kurama look-alike replied, then looked at me.   
  
"What would you do if...if you were given a second chance?"  
  
"A second chance?"  
  
"Another chance at life...what would you do? Would you admit to your sister who you  
  
are...would you forgive Kuwabara for being an idiot?...would you talk to Kurama? Would you  
  
remain Murkro's heir?" The man's voice matched Kurama's perfectly, his every movement  
  
mirrored Kurama's, but I knew it was just an act.  
  
"In the future...perhaps I will..." I replied truthfully.  
  
"There is no future...for you..." he said quietly, a slight change in his voice. "You may know that  
  
I am not Kurama...but you don't understand everything...you didn't know that you can never  
  
return...to your old life..."  
  
"Why?" I asked, looking at our surroundings. The air carried a faint scent of roses, the wind blew  
  
gently through my hair, I could even feel the warmth of the sunlight on my face, but I could also  
  
feel a youki surrounding me...one that was unfamiliar, but extremely powerful.  
  
"This world isn't real...and all who enter it...never leave..." he replied softly. I remained still for a  
  
moment, in the back of my mind knowing that he was speaking the truth. "I've been here for  
  
centuries...but you've only been here for a few weeks..."  
  
"What is your name?" I felt a change in the wind, now it was more forceful and when I looked up  
  
into the sky, I could see dark clouds, clouds that weren't there a moment ago, blowing by quickly.  
  
"Nani..."  
  
"I must leave now...but, make sure you don't forget that, no matter what...this world isn't real. If  
  
you begin to think of this as reality...that is what it will become for you..." he said, standing up  
  
gracefully. I watched him walk away, wondering who he was.  
  
  
  
"Master...the Reikai Tantai are here..." the goblin stated quietly, bowing in front of a large door.   
  
Kuwabara and Yusuke looked at each other, wondering what they had gotten themselves into.   
  
The goblin turned around and stared at them. "The Master will see you now..."  
  
"Do we have to go back through that forest?" Kuwabara asked, following Yusuke and the others  
  
through the metal door. It shut with a loud, echoing clang behind the orange haired ningen,  
  
making all of the spirit detectives jump slightly.  
  
"No...don't worry, Kuwabara...you don't have to go back through that forest..." a deep voice said  
  
from the other side of the dimly lit room. Kuwabara stared into the darkness as a youkai emerged  
  
from the shadows. "You won't ever leave this castle again...alive..."  
  
"Who are you?" Yusuke asked, glaring at the neko-youkai. "And where the hell is Hiei!?"  
  
"Please, calm down, Yusuke Urameshi...the Jaganashi is here...and I am Kiba..." the youkai  
  
bowed slightly, keeping his slitted eyes on Yusuke. He stood back up and sat down in a chair that  
  
was next to the wall. "Sit...I wish to speak about a...truce...one that I'm sure all of you will agree  
  
to..."  
  
"Nani?" Yusuke sat down on the floor, glaring at Kiba. 'This bastard...is he the dream-weaver?   
  
If he's the 'master' then he has to be...' Yusuke thought to himself.  
  
"I will stop my...attack on Reikai detectives...and free the heirs...in return for one  
  
person...Koenma. Give me that brat and I'll be glad to let your...friends live," Kiba replied,  
  
glancing over at Kurama. "I'll even let all of you leave...alive...it's the most generous offer I've  
  
ever made...so I suggest you take it..."  
  
"What's your thing with Koenma?" Yusuke asked curiously, knowing that he wouldn't hand over  
  
his boss...unless he was sure that the dream-weaver wouldn't harm him.   
  
"He ordered the deaths of my clan...for that, he shall die..." Kiba replied, his monotone voice  
  
gaining a little anger and hatred.  
  
"Then, no...there is no deal...I won't trade the life of one friend for another," Yusuke stated,  
  
glaring at Kiba. "Is there anything else you want?"  
  
"Hai...if you are unwilling to trade friends...trade yourselves..." Kiba answered. "I would rather  
  
have Koenma...but all five of you should suffice..."  
  
"Do I look stupid?" Yusuke retorted, standing up. "How can we be sure that you keep up your  
  
side of the deal?"  
  
"Yusuke..." Kuwabara grabbed onto their leader's shirt as the black haired ningen tried to attack  
  
Kiba.   
  
"I think you need to try controlling you temper, Yusuke Urameshi..." Kiba stated cooly. "And,  
  
since I'm in a good mood today, I'll let all of you live...for now. I'll also show you that I will kill  
  
the heirs if I don't get what I want."  
  
Yusuke wondered what he meant by 'show' as the neko-youkai gestured towards one of the  
  
goblins that had been hiding in the shadows. A moment later, another door from the other side of  
  
the room opened and a group of goblins walked into the room, surrounding a much taller figure.   
  
The Reikai Tantai recognized the young heir immediately. 'Shura...' Yusuke thought, racing over  
  
to the youkai and catching him as he fell to the ground.  
  
"Yusuke?" Shura's pink eyes focused on the spirit detective as he sat up, then fell onto his side,  
  
unable to keep himself up.   
  
"I told him not to keep trying to free himself..." Kiba commented, watching as Kurama knelt  
  
down next to Yomi's son, staring at his bleeding arms.   
  
'Wards...no wonder he and Hiei are still here...' Kurama thought to himself, feeling slightly sorry  
  
for the heir as he examined the youkai's tied arms, seeing the deep gashes and burn marks made  
  
by the ropes and wards. "What about Hiei?" Kurama asked outloud, worrying over the small  
  
Koorime.  
  
"The fire youkai is in a little worse condition that him...but he's not...-here- if you know what I  
  
mean, Youko Kurama..." Kiba replied, his answer making Yusuke clench his fists.  
  
"You bastard!" Yusuke said, wishing that he could kill the dream-weaver. 'He...he...put Hiei  
  
under that spell...then...we have to get Hiei out of it...before...' Yusuke didn't want to finish his  
  
thought, knowing that if he began thinking like that, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from  
  
beating the life out of Kiba.  
  
"Don't worry...he's not aging as fast as the others...it must be because of his Jagan...such an  
  
interesting thing, don't you think? An unnatural eye...that gives him psychic powers...and makes  
  
him a -very- powerful youkai..." Kiba stated cooly. "If you want to see him alive again...I suggest  
  
you decide what you're going to do soon...he might not last much longer..."  
  
"He's right...Kurama..." Shura said quietly, trying to sit up on his own again. 'Hiei's  
  
aged...centuries...' the horned youkai thought to himself, picturing the fire demon...the image he  
  
had become accustomed to, not the one that he had been forced to see recently.  
  
"Let us see him," Yusuke demanded. The 'master' laughed slightly as he shook his head.  
  
"You can't see him...unless you pass a...test..." Kiba replied, looking over at Yusuke. "If you can  
  
pass it, you can -have- him back."  
  
"What's the catch?" Kuwabara asked, wondering why Kiba would freely give Hiei up...if they  
  
passed this 'test.'  
  
"No catch...just break free of the dream-weaver's spell...and you can have the heir..." Kiba  
  
answered. Jin and Touya glanced over at each other, knowing that no one had ever broken the  
  
dream-weaver's spell.   
  
"Fine..." Kurama said loudly before anyone else could reply. Touya stared at the kitsune in  
  
disbelief. 'He knows that he'll never escape...so why?' the ice master asked himself, but he knew  
  
the answer. 'I should have known...'  
  
"Are you going to be the only one, Youko Kurama?" Kiba asked, glancing at the rest of the  
  
Reikai Tantai.   
  
"No...I'm going."  
  
"I'm not letting Urameshi and Kurama go alone."  
  
"T' hell I'm gonna let Urameshi 'ave all the fun!"  
  
Touya stared at the four Reikai Tantai who were ready to give their lives, and sighed in defeat. "I  
  
am going as well." 'How could I live...without him?' Touya's eyes landed on Jin and he smiled  
  
slightly at the red-headed youkai. 'Even if he doesn't...know how I feel for him...'  
  
"I'll make sure I send your heads back to Koenma," Kiba commented as the group glared at him.   
  
Kurama blinked his eyes a few times, his eyesight beginning to blacken, then his body started to  
  
go numb. The last thing he thought as he fell to the ground was 'I'm coming, Hiei.'  
  
"Koenma-sama..." one of the ogres said quietly, handing the toddler a remote. Koenma stared at  
  
the black box covered in buttons for a moment, then looked up at the red ogre questioningly.   
  
"It...it's Yusuke and the others...sir...they've...been taken...by the dream-weaver..."  
  
"NANI!!!!!!!!" Koenma's pacifier fell out of his mouth as he stared at the ogre, his eye twitching.   
  
"Could it get any worse...Father is coming to check up on me...in three days..."  
  
"E...enma-sama...is coming..in three...days?!" Botan exclaimed, quivering in fear. 'How could  
  
Yusuke, Kuwabara...Kurama, Jin, and Touya all be taken by the dream-weaver? Kurama and  
  
Touya should have known...should have been able to do something...' Botan thought to herself.  
  
"Hai...is there any other bad news, Ogre?"  
  
"...we found the identity of...the youkai who kidnaped Hiei and Shura...it's Kiba-sama..." the ogre  
  
answered, flinching when he finished.  
  
"K...kiba...oh no...FATHER'S GOING TO KILL MEEEEEE!!!!!" Koenma cried, searching  
  
through a pile of papers, finally finding what he was looking for and handed it to Botan, who had  
  
a confused look on her face.  
  
"Who's Kiba?" she asked as the toddler handed her the paper.  
  
"Read that..." Koenma replied quietly, leaning back in his chair. 'Kiba...he should be dead...he  
  
was supposed to be killed...five hundred years ago...' the toddler thought to himself.  
  
"He was...a warlord..." Botan said, still reading the paper. 'K...Koenma had...his whole army...his  
  
family killed...'  
  
"I had to stop him...if he had gotten any more powerful...he would have taken over the  
  
Makai...then he would have come after the Reikai...or the Ningenkai...I was assured he had been  
  
killed..." Koenma stated. "I felt horrible afterwards, reading the death toll...over four hundred  
  
children...they were his family...  
  
"I didn't know...who was in his army...almost all of them...were young youkai...some not even ten  
  
ningen years old...but all of them were such skilled warriors...I had no other choice..."  
  
"And Kiba was the only one that survived?" Botan asked, glancing over at the deity.  
  
"Yes..."  
  
Authoress: WARNING!!!...this isn't the end to da chapter...I just wanted to WARN you that  
  
YAOI is COMING UP!!!...and if anyone said that I didn't warn ya...*waves ass in front of  
  
'warning'* chew me! Oo...actually, don't...please...Don't kill me please...you know who you are  
  
*cough* Ang *cough* Sam *cough* *cough*  
  
Kurama: do you want a cough drop or something?  
  
Authoress: nah, I'm fine...*salutes theMaven* you didn't say anything against it, so here it  
  
is!...^______^  
  
"Jin?" Touya glanced up at the shinobi, noting the smile on the demon's face. 'Why doesn't he  
  
notice that I...I love him?' Touya asked himself, sighing inwardly. 'I...I've given him enough  
  
hints...but I'm to...afraid to tell him...'  
  
"Touya?" the ice master looked into Jin's eyes at the sound of the youkai's voice. Touya raised  
  
an eyebrow slightly, wondering why his partner had a broad grin on his face. The ice master  
  
pushed his chair back, its legs scraping on the floor, as he turned so he could face the other  
  
shinobi.  
  
"What is it?" Touya asked, smiling at the youkai. 'If he can't feel the same way towards me...then  
  
I will be just a friend...' Touya thought to himself, closing his eyes for a moment. His eyes shot  
  
open when he felt something heavy sit on his lap. 'What the?' Touya asked inwardly as he  
  
blinked a few times, staring into Jin's blue eyes. "Na-" Touya's question was cut off as the red  
  
head pressed his lips against his.  
  
Touya, out of pure shock, opened his mouth. Jin, using his partner's state of shock, let his tongue  
  
dive into the ice master's mouth. Touya snapped back into reality when he felt Jin's hands press  
  
against his...unclothed chest.   
  
His lower body protesting, Touya pushed the red head away, holding him an arm length away  
  
until he was able to breathe again. "Jin...what are you doing?"  
  
"What does it look like I'm doin'?" Jin asked, slowly grinding his lower body against Touya's.   
  
Touya, trying to figure out if Jin was toying with him, or had really fallen in love with him, had  
  
almost forgot about the hardening demon on his lap until Jin began taking off his pants.   
  
"J...jin..." Touya gasped, the wind master's constant grinding and his venturing hands beginning  
  
to affect him.   
  
"Do you want me to stop?" Jin asked, ceasing his molesting of Touya's upper and lower body.   
  
Touya shook his head, positive that he didn't want the youkai to stop his gentle touches and  
  
erotic dance.   
  
Jin, with a impish grin on his face, finished untying Touya's pants, then began sliding them off a  
  
still sitting Touya. The ice master moaned as Jin gave up on his pants, but returned to kissing  
  
Touya. Jin gasped, parting their kiss, when Touya placed his hands on the his knees, slowly  
  
tracing upwards towards his belt.  
  
"Jin...I-" Touya tried, at that moment, to tell the red head how he felt, but Jin's hands, which had  
  
slipped into his pants without his realization, had stopped him. The ice master pressed his  
  
member against Jin's warm hands, surrendering himself to the pleasurable sensations wracking his  
  
body.  
  
"I know..." Jin said quietly, then began sucking on one of Touya's exposed nipples.  
  
'He does? But...he's never...said anything until now...' Touya thought to himself, forcing himself  
  
not to moan in pleasure as Jin began pumping him. "This isn't real..." Touya thought outloud, his  
  
eyes widening in realization.  
  
Jin chuckled, removing his hands from the ice master's pants. "Correct...very good, Reikai  
  
Tantai...I was beginning to wonder if you would figure it out...you pass..."  
  
'The test...' Touya's mind was flooded with recent memories, his mission. "I pass?"  
  
"Hai..." Jin replied, chuckling. "You did much better than I thought...I first thought none of you  
  
would pass..."  
  
"You're not Jin...so who are you?" Touya asked, blushing furiously as he glared at the Jin  
  
impersonator, the warmth in his lower body quickly leaving him. 'I...I almost...' Touya thought to  
  
himself, closing his eyes. When he opened them again, 'Jin' was gone.  
  
"Kazuma..." Yukina glanced over at the orange haired ningen and smiled. "I love you."  
  
"Y...you love me?" Kuwabara could hardly believe his ears, the woman he had loved for  
  
years...she had finally told him her feelings.   
  
"Hai...Let's get married," Yukina said, shocking Kuwabara so much, he fell off of the chair he  
  
was sitting in.  
  
"A...are you sure...you want to?" Kuwabara asked. 'Yukina said she wanted to find her  
  
brother...and only if he accepted her betrothed, would she marry...this can't be for real...'  
  
"You are smarter than you look, Reikai Tantai..." Yukina stated, smiling. "You pass as well..."  
  
'As well?' Kuwabara thought, staring at Yukina. "Who else passed?"  
  
"You'll see..." Yukina replied, standing up. As she walked away from Kuwabara, she glanced  
  
back and smiled. "I'm glad I underestimated you..."  
  
  
  
"Keiko..." Yusuke smiled at the ningen woman, her light body lying in his arms, a content  
  
expression on her face.  
  
"What is it, koibito?" Keiko asked, looking up at her lover, stroking his cheek.   
  
"Aishiteru," Yusuke replied quietly, starting to give into his fatigue. 'I don't believe it...Keiko  
  
and I...heh...'  
  
"I love you too, Yusuke..."  
  
'And she loves me...life's good...' Yusuke grinned at this gently kissing Keiko's forehead. 'And  
  
here I was...thinking life always sucks...It just seems too good to be true...' Yusuke pondered for  
  
a moment on his last thought, realizing something. "This isn't real...the mission..."  
  
"The test...very good...you ningens keep surprising me..." Keiko replied. "You pass..."  
  
"Then...you're not Keiko?" Yusuke asked, glaring at the woman he had just made love to.  
  
"No...the others found it out a little faster than you..."   
  
"Others? Everyone else passed?" Yusuke questioned. 'I know Kurama and Touya would  
  
'pass'...whatever this test is supposed to be...but Kuwabara...and Jin...'  
  
"Actually...Kuwabara figured it out faster than the rest of you..." Keiko replied, standing  
  
up. "Already, you have proved me wrong...I hope you Reikai Tantai can keep doing so..."  
  
"Who are you?" Yusuke asked, sitting up. "You're not the dream-weaver...so who are you?"  
  
"No one...just another...prisoner of this place..." Keiko answered quietly, leaving the bedroom.  
  
"C'mon Touya...we've gots to be doin' somethin!" Jin exclaimed, pulling the quiet ice master  
  
behind him.   
  
"Jin...what's gotten into you?" Touya asked, smiling slightly at the red head.   
  
"We're free, Touya...no more shinobi...no more Reikai Tantai..." Jin replied. "We don't have to  
  
do anything for anyone else!!! We've gots to be having some fun!"  
  
"I guess you're right," Touya said, chuckling. "What do you suggest?" Jin smiled as he lifted the  
  
ice master into his arms and shot into the air. Touya clutched his arms, shaking in fear. "Put me  
  
down!" Touya exclaimed, glancing down below them.  
  
"Don't be crazy...that's some fall," Jin replied, laughing. Touya, after a few minutes of flying,  
  
calmed down slightly and loosened his death grip on Jin's arms. "See, it's not that bad."  
  
"I...guess...but you didn't have to grab me and fly off..." Touya retorted, looking back down at  
  
the ground underneath them.   
  
"Would you have come if I didn't?" Jin asked, smirking.   
  
Touya shook his head, laughing. "No...you know I'm afraid of heights."  
  
"Well, you best be getting over it!" Jin pointed out, his smile widening. 'Touya told me when we  
  
first met...when I first be taking him up into the sky...he didn't like heights...ever since then...he's  
  
been makin' sure I don't fly him off anywhere...' Jin thought to himself. 'All I wanted was to let  
  
him see...everything...'  
  
"What is it?" Touya asked, looking up at Jin.   
  
"Do you love me, Touya?" Jin questioned, glancing down at the youkai in his arms.  
  
"I...I think so..." Touya replied.  
  
"The Touya I know was always bein' sure of everythin'..." Jin commented, getting a laugh from  
  
Touya. "Nani?"  
  
"Very good..." Touya answered, smiling. "Now I can see why all of you are the best Reikai  
  
Tantai Koenma has. You pass, Jin..."  
  
"Pass?" Jin asked, remembering what he was supposed to be doing. "Where's everyone else?"  
  
"You'll see..." Touya replied. Jin stared at the ice master, his eyes widening as he watched Touya  
  
-fade- away until there was nothing in his arms.  
  
Kurama groaned, cracking one eye open to look around his room. He finally found the reason he  
  
had been so rudely awoken. He hit the offensive alarm clock until he found the snooze button,  
  
then curled back underneath his sheets, praying for a few more minutes of sleep in his warm bed.  
  
He froze when he felt a warm body lying next to his own. Kurama ripped the sheets off of his bed  
  
and smiled, staring at the sleeping Koorime.   
  
"Hn...Kitsune no baka..." Hiei mumbled sleepily, blindly grabbing for the sheets. Kurama sighed  
  
pulling the sheets up to the fire youkai's chin. Hiei purred as he turned, wrapping his small arms  
  
around Kurama's midsection.  
  
'What happened?' Kurama asked himself, staring down at the cuddly fire demon. 'Hiei's anything  
  
but...cuddly...why IS he purring?' Kurama asked himself, listening to the soothing rumbling  
  
coming from Hiei.   
  
"Hiei?"  
  
"Nani...can't I sleep?" Hiei asked, opening his red eyes to look at Kurama. "What is it?"  
  
"What happened...between us?" Kurama questioned nervously. 'Hiei doesn't seem...forced...or  
  
angry at me...so I couldn't have done anything unchaste with him...'  
  
"I'll show you, kitsune..." Hiei replied seductively, pushing Kurama onto the bed and straddled his  
  
waist. Kurama groaned, his lower body already responding to the small Koorime on top of him.   
  
"Hiei..." Kurama stared at the fire youkai, letting his hands roam up Hiei's thighs, and onto the  
  
Koorime's small rear.  
  
"Fuck me, Kurama," Hiei said, rubbing his lower body against Kurama's hardening member.   
  
Kurama, happy to oblige, flipped over, pulling Hiei beneath him. The youkai smirked as he  
  
pressed his lips against Kurama's, bruising the kitsune's mouth, but Kurama didn't mind at that  
  
moment, while Hiei had captured his mouth in a deep, passionate kiss.   
  
Kurama felt Hiei's small hands moving across his back and chest, gently scraping his nails on the  
  
youko's skin, but he still left large pink scratches. He furrowed his eyebrows when Hiei began  
  
sliding down the bed, but figured out what the Koorime had in mind when he began running his  
  
tongue down his hardened shaft.  
  
'Hiei...he...why?' He asked himself, looking down at the Koorime between his thin legs.   
  
'He...how...he couldn't have forgiven me...' Kurama thought, disbelief racing though his head.   
  
'This can't be...' Kurama's green eyes widened as he sat back, pushing Hiei away.  
  
"You've found out as well...good..." Hiei said, smiling. "It took you the longest to figure it out...I  
  
was beginning to wonder if you would put it together at all..."  
  
"Who are you?" Kurama asked, glaring at the nude fire youkai between his legs. 'Hiei' smirked,  
  
shaking his head. "Nani?"  
  
"I'm no one of importance..." the Hiei imposter replied. "Now that all of you have finished  
  
this...assessment...you can try to pass the real test..."  
  
'This...this wasn't the test?' Kurama asked inwardly, wondering what the real test could be. 'At  
  
least everyone else...passed...this youkai's test...'   
  
"Come with me...and I'll show you what you must do to save Hiei-san..." the Koorime said  
  
quietly, his voice sounding slightly higher than Hiei's ever was. "And, I wish you luck...Hiei-san  
  
seems like a nice person...I don't want him to be stuck here...like me..." The short youkai stood  
  
up and held out his hand for Kurama. For a moment, the kitsune stared at him curiously, then got  
  
out of the bed and looked for his clothes, blushing slightly.  
  
Authoress: O.O...kay then...now what?!  
  
Hiei: *eye twitches* what the hell do you call that?!  
  
Authoress: great writing...^^  
  
Kurama: so WHO was that guy? *glares at Authoress*  
  
Touya, Jin, Hiei, Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara: *glare*  
  
Authoress: *sweats slightly* I...I don't know what you mean...^____^  
  
Jin: it wasn't nice, goin' around all sneaky like that...  
  
Touya and Kurama: *evil glares*  
  
Authoress: *laughs nervously* I don't know what you're talkin' about...I swear!  
  
Yusuke: *eye twitches involuntarily*  
  
Authoress:...I'll explain our mysterious imposter prisoner dude who's got, like, a hormonal  
  
problem...yeah...poor horny bastard...anyways, continuing... in the next chappie, I mean it!! ^.^  
  
Kurama: you better  
  
Authoress: I will...after I get (minimum) forty reviews...all together of course...I don't want forty  
  
reviews for a single, sucky chappie..where nothing except a lil PWP goes on...kay! *laughs  
  
hysterically* Until then! Sayonara!!! 


	7. A Name To Their Doom

Authoress: eeeehehehehe...^^  
  
Hiei: *eye twitches*  
  
Kurama: um...what happened last time? (Lost all memory of...ahem...yeah...)  
  
Authoress: eh...nothin'...really *suspicious smile*  
  
???: really?...I thought...wait...never mind...  
  
Yusuke: who ARE you? *sniffle* makin' me think that you are Keiko...grrrr...  
  
???: *smiles*   
  
Kuwabara: why do you look like Koenma?  
  
???/Authoress: Oo...no reason...really  
  
Koenma: yesh...the resemblance IS uncanny *stares at ???, grinning*   
  
???: um...yeah...Hiei-san...save me...*runs from Koenma and hides behind Koorime*  
  
Hiei: *eye twitches uncontrollably* GET AWAY FROM ME!!!!!  
  
???: *sniffle* pweeze Hiei-san?  
  
Hiei: not after what you did to Kurama  
  
Touya: What about what he did to ME!?  
  
Jin: what did he do to you??  
  
Touya: *shuts up very quickly, hiding in the corner of the room* nothing...  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho...nope...nothing...nada...zilch...got it?...*sniffle* I never  
  
owned ANY OF IT!!!!...wait...I own...*stares around room*...um...no...Loddie (A.K.A. the  
  
'Father') paid for that...and...me Mums bought this...that one's Zannie's...yeah...okay, I do own  
  
nothing at all...*smiles* I have my Twinkies, though...heh...^____^  
  
Chapter Seven  
  
"It looks like all of you have passed...so far...very good. I congratulate all of you..." a voice  
  
stated, making Kurama open his eyes, looking around. 'I didn't close my eyes...' Kurama  
  
thought, then saw that he was no longer in his room with 'Hiei.' His new surroundings were  
  
unfamiliar, a forest behind him, and a river in front of him. The river was a dark, only a few  
  
shades lighter than black, red, the ground was also dark in color, as was the cloudy sky.  
  
"Who are you?" Yusuke asked as he appeared, literally, out of thin air to Kurama's right. The  
  
kitsune stared at the Reikai Tantai for a moment, and when he glanced around again, he saw Jin,  
  
Touya, and Kuwabara had all appeared.  
  
"No one...If you don't mind...I'd like to ask a question of all of you. Why couldn't you accept  
  
the lives I gave you? They were what you always dreamed of...but you didn't want...to live  
  
here...why?" the deep voice questioned. Kurama thought for a moment, knowing that he  
  
recognized the voice, but he couldn't think of a face to match with the sexy disembodied voice.  
  
"We knew it wasn't real...so why should we live in a place where everything is an illusion?"  
  
Touya replied quietly, his blue eyes shifting around the grassy area, searching for a source to the  
  
voice. 'I almost...believed his illusion...' Touya thought to himself, sighing inwardly.  
  
"I see...you couldn't live in a world where things are perfect...interesting..." the voice said  
  
thoughtfully. Kurama glanced around their surroundings, sensing a flare of youki. 'Someone's  
  
here...but...it seems like he is...everywhere...' the kitsune thought to himself. "I also have another  
  
question to ask all of you...why are you here?"  
  
"We came to save Hiei," Yusuke answered, sensing the youki too. 'How can he...be  
  
everywhere?'  
  
"Hiei...why would you risk your lives to save such a...unusual demon?"   
  
"Because he is a friend," Kuwabara retorted, wishing he could glare at the owner of the voice.   
  
"Not that you would know what a friend is..." 'Little bastard...he knows where Hiei is...and he's  
  
just playing with us...'  
  
"You're right, spirit detective...I don't know what friendship is...and I do know where Hiei is..."  
  
the voice stated. "I will give him back to you...if you defeat me...fighting me will be your final  
  
test..."  
  
'Fighting him? How can we do that...when we don't know where he is?' Yusuke asked inwardly,  
  
glad he finally knew what their 'test' was, and that it was something that all of them excelled in.   
  
'Good thing it didn't have anything to do with intelligence...Kuwabara would surely fail...heh...'  
  
"Where are ye hidin' so we can start fightin'?" Jin asked, his eyes darting back and forth. 'His  
  
youki's everywhere...'  
  
"I am not hiding...just observing..." the voice replied as the five Reikai Tantai stared at the trees,  
  
where the loud, sudden rustling was originating from. Kurama's eyes widened when he saw their  
  
opponent, finally remembering who the voice belonged to.  
  
"Kuro..." Kurama whispered, staring at the bat youkai. He looked exactly the same as the day  
  
Kurama was forced to leave him behind, even down to the reddish pendant tied to his side.  
  
"You know him?" Touya asked, glancing over at the kitsune.   
  
'It's an illusion...Kuronue died...a long time ago...' Kurama thought to himself in disbelief.   
  
"H...hai..."  
  
"It is an illusion, Kurama...but not in the way you think..." Kuronue replied, his blue eyes landing  
  
on the kitsune. "Kuronue is dead...but I am not an illusion..."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Yusuke asked, finally recognizing the bat demon. 'It's that  
  
guy...one of the Netherworld gods...but...he was only pretending to be Kuronue...' Yusuke  
  
thought to himself.  
  
"I've been here so long...I can't remember what I look like...but I do remember that I looked  
  
almost identical to my older brother...and I can picture him in my mind..." Kuronue answered  
  
quietly, a hint of sadness in his voice. "The last time I saw Kuronue...he told me he'd be back..."  
  
'...his older brother...' Kurama thought to himself, remembering one of his numerous  
  
conversations with Kuro.  
  
"Kurama...why did you become a thief?" Kuro asked, glancing over at his lover. Kurama  
  
shrugged his shoulders, tightening his embrace around the other youkai.   
  
"Why did you?" Kurama questioned, nuzzling his nose against Kuronue's neck.  
  
"I...I needed the money..." Kuro replied quietly.  
  
"For what?"   
  
"...I was born into slavery...like the rest of my family. After my parents died...I was the  
  
only one that could take care of my younger brother and sister. I...I got enough money to free  
  
myself...and left, promising them...that I would free them...but...I found out...that a little while  
  
after I left...that they had been killed...by Reikai Tantai. So now, I have no reason...to live..."  
  
Kuro replied sadly. "I failed them...if I had remained there...I could ha-"  
  
"Kuro...you tried...that's all you could have done..." Kurama said, gingerly kissing the bat  
  
youkai's long neck. "Anyways...I need you...so you do have a reason to live..."  
  
"I guess you're right, Kurama..." Kuro sighed heavily, leaning back against the youkai.  
  
"What were they like?"  
  
"...they were twins...and they looked, and acted, like smaller versions of me..." Kuro  
  
replied, smiling weakly. "They both were extremely intelligent and very strong...but my sister,  
  
Yume...she was the strongest youkai I've ever seen...and the kindest...my brother, Kura...he was  
  
very...clever..."  
  
"They must have been menaces," Kurama commented, trying to cheer up the bat.   
  
Kuronue nodded his head curtly.  
  
"I was always getting yelled at for something they did...and made it look like I had done  
  
it..." Kuro replied, turning his head to look at Kurama. "I got enough whippings because of those  
  
two to last a lifetime...they always apologized afterwards...but did something even worse the next  
  
day..."  
  
"I wish I could have met them..." Kurama said, nibbling on Kuro's pointed ear, receiving a  
  
soft mona from the bat youkai.. "They sound like very interesting children..."  
  
"They were...they were very interesting..."  
  
"But...he said his brother and sister were killed..." Kurama pointed out, trying not to cry as he  
  
remembered the youkai he had fallen in love with. 'If they weren't dead...then they would  
  
be...around five or six hundred...'  
  
  
  
"My twin died...but I was saved by Master...and I've been here ever since..." Kuronue replied  
  
quietly. "Now, fight me, before the spell begins to drain your lives from you..."  
  
'If he is stuck here...then the only way to free him...is to kill him...' Touya thought to himself,  
  
watching as Yusuke and Kuwabara rushed at the bat youkai, readying their Rei weapons. 'That  
  
must be why he is here...fighting us...'  
  
'A youkai with a death wish...then we won't be havin' much of a fight...' Jin said inwardly,  
  
watching Kuwabara and Yusuke assail the demon, hitting their opponent. Kuronue staggered  
  
back a bit, then smiled slightly.  
  
"Not bad...but you have to do better than that, detectives...you have to kill me to defeat me..."  
  
Kuronue stated, standing up straight, his body already repairing itself from the wounds though his  
  
abdomen.  
  
"What the hell..." Yusuke growled, attacking again, but stopped when he realized something.   
  
'We're still in the dream world...so...how can we beat someone...who lives here?'  
  
"Very good...an even better question is how can you save Hiei...and yourselves...after you kill  
  
me..." Kuronue replied, chuckling. "If you kill me here...you kill my body in the real world as  
  
well..."  
  
"And? Like I care if you die?" Yusuke pointed out, aiming his Rei gun at Kuronue. 'He...he's  
  
hinting at something...but what?'  
  
"You should..."  
  
Authoress: Fwahahahah...CLIFFHANGER, HELL YEAH!!!!!  
  
Hiei: *eye twitches* I wasn't even in this...  
  
???: ...so? At least you found out more about me....*grins*  
  
Kurama: *stares at Yomi look-alike*  
  
Yusuke: what's that supposed to mean... 'you should'????  
  
Authoress: all will be explained next chappie...and if you, my wonderful reviewers, have figured it  
  
out yet...I shall laugh...I've given so many hints...it's obvious...but, ya know...I KNOW what's  
  
gonna happen...and it's twisted...oh, yesh...very twisted...  
  
Koenma: *staring at lightning lightbulb* zap...*touches light* zap... *licks light* HOT!!!!! zap,  
  
zap, zap  
  
Kuwabara, Yomi, ???, Hiei, Kurama, Yusuke, Authoress: Oo...  
  
Authoress: what ARE you doing?...*pulls swan shaped light away from deity* Mine...  
  
Koenma: thash nosh fairsh  
  
Authoress: ??...so?...I don't care if it's fair...you licked my blue light of coooooolness...*begins to  
  
wash (still plugged in) light* ZAP!!!!.............X____X  
  
Hiei: *points and laughs hysterically*  
  
Yomi: *leaves room, mumbling that he knows none of them*  
  
Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, ???: *follow Horny Doom*   
  
Hiei: hn...ningen no baka...  
  
Authoress: X.X  
  
Koenma:...um...I don't think she's okay...SO I'LL DO THE BYE-BYES!!!!!...  
  
Hiei: the 'bye byes'??? Oo...  
  
Koenma: buh bye until...what was the number she used...????  
  
Hiei: hn....five...  
  
Koenma: OH...five...SPANK YOU!!!!^_____^...until five reviews!!! JA MATA!!!!! *waves*  
  
Hiei: ...hn...  
  
Authoress: X__X;;; 


	8. Forgive

Authoress: whoo hoo!!!!  
  
Hiei: *eye twitches*  
  
Authoress: lil' spastic? ^_____^  
  
Kurama: *leaves room quickly*  
  
???: *snort* HAHAHAHAHAH  
  
Authoress: and what's up with you?! *whacks ??? on the head with keyboard* tell me what you  
  
meant by 'you should'!!!  
  
???: *glances over at Authoress, grinning* heh...baka  
  
Authoress: *lunges at ???* (with flames from hell in eyes) BAKA!?....*sniffle, strangling ???* I'm  
  
not a jackass...thank you very much...I'm a llama's ass...  
  
???, Hiei, Yusuke, Kuwabara, Koenma: O.O;;;;  
  
???: too much info...*struggles to be freed from Authoress*  
  
Authoress: I created you!!!   
  
???: so?  
  
Authoress: *raises eyebrow* -so?-...I know what you look like...  
  
???: you wouldn't...  
  
Authoress: *laughs sadistically* oh really? ^______^  
  
???:fine...you win...for now...  
  
Authoress: then do the disclaimer!  
  
???: *glares, but obeys*  
  
Disclaimer: Master Who Is Only To Be Referred To As Authoress doesn't own Yu Yu Hakusho,  
  
or anything else of importance...*twack* ow...scratch that...Oh Wonderful Authoress, even in her  
  
wildest dreams, could never hope to own Yu Yu Hakusho...*bang* fine...you are the greatest  
  
authoress, happy...*flinches, but doesn't get hit* ^____^...she doesn't own Yu Yu Hakusho...but  
  
I am her slave, so I best listen to my master...  
  
Authoress: much better....^_____^...my slave...  
  
Chapter Eight  
  
'You should?' Kurama thought over Kuronue's statement with curiosity. 'What does he mean by  
  
'you should'?' The kitsune's eyes widened as he stared at the prisoner who looked so much like  
  
his dead lover. 'It couldn't be...Kuro would have told me...'  
  
"What do you mean by 'you should?'" Yusuke asked the black winged youkai for the fifth time,  
  
but, once again, didn't get an answer.   
  
"Ask Youko Kurama...he's figured it out..." Kuronue replied quietly, easily dodging Jin's  
  
Tornado Fist and Yusuke's Rei Gun. He ducked as ice shards (A/N: *grins* thanks, Ang...^__^)  
  
flew over his head, closely followed by Kuwabara's spirit sword.  
  
"Kurama?" Touya glanced over at the kitsune, who was not participating in the fight. Kurama  
  
stared at Kuronue, his green eyes filled with sadness.  
  
"You can't kill him...unless you want to kill everyone in this dream world..." Kurama answered  
  
softly. "Kiba isn't the dream weaver...he is..."  
  
"Y...you're the dream weaver?!" Kuwabara exclaimed as he stared at the youkai clothed in black.   
  
'Then...why? He sounded so sad before when he said he was here for so long...so why would he  
  
stay in the world...he created?' Kuwabara asked inwardly.  
  
"I am a prisoner of my own imagination...my own power..." Kuronue replied monotonously. "If  
  
any of you remain here any longer, you will not be able to leave...so I suggest you defeat me  
  
soon..."  
  
"Why would you fight us?" Kurama asked curiously, fighting back the urge to let his Youko side  
  
take over. 'If I do...there's not telling what Youko would do...' Kurama thought to himself.  
  
"I could ask all of you the same question...I do not understand...why creatures would risk their  
  
lives for another..." Kuronue answered quietly. "At one time, I believed that a creature could care  
  
so much for another...that they would gladly give their lives in attempt...so save the other..."  
  
Kuronue chuckled slightly. "A stupid, childish belief...isn't it? Too bad all of you still believe in  
  
such things..."  
  
'...he...he must think Kuro left them...Kuro wanted to save them...but he thought his brother and  
  
sister were dead...' Kurama thought to himself.   
  
The dream-weaver laughed, bitterness in his tone. "My brother never came to find out if we were  
  
really dead...he never cared for us...Yume died...believing that he would save us..." He sighed,  
  
his face showing his boredom as he fought the four Reikai Tantai, then grasped his scythe firmly  
  
in his right hand. "And Hiei will die the same way..."  
  
Kurama opened his mouth to warn the others, but as the first word of his exclamation, 'look,' left  
  
his mouth, the curved, sharpened blade made a complete circle around the dream-weaver. The  
  
kitsune stared, in horror, as Yusuke and Kuwabara fell to the ground, clutching their sliced  
  
abdomens.  
  
'Shit, that hurts...' Yusuke thought to himself as he pulled his arm away from the wound, his eyes  
  
widening when he saw his forearm and hand were covered in blood. 'He...he didn't cut me that  
  
deeply...did he?'  
  
Kuwabara discovered he was bleeding far worse than he should've as he felt his ki begin to seep  
  
from his body. 'How could he have attacked so quickly? I didn't even see his scythe...'   
  
Jin, finally noticing the scythe and chain in Kura's right hand, backed up so he as out of range, but  
  
saw immediately that Touya hadn't reached a safe distance as the ice youkai fell to his side,  
  
gasping in pain.  
  
"Really...all of you are supposed to be intelligent...and excellent fighters...how is it I am  
  
unscathed?" Kura asked, staring at the ground, a blank expression on his face. "Perhaps I gave all  
  
of you too much credit...five centuries of practice might be the reason I far exceed you..."  
  
Jin, growling at the youkai, knelt down next to Touya and stared, in disbelief, at the blood-soaked  
  
clothing on the ice demon's hip. The reddish colored blood began creating a puddle around  
  
Touya, staining the grass. 'He...he's bleedin' to much...youkai don't bleed so much...' Jin  
  
thought, desperately trying to think of a way to stop the bleeding. Touya bit his lower lip, forcing  
  
himself not to cry out in pain.  
  
'It shouldn't hurt so much...it's only...a flesh wound...' Touya said inwardly, attempting to ignore  
  
the pain that was beginning to run though his whole body, as his eyes studied Jin's face. 'I had a  
  
bad feeling about this whole mission...'  
  
"What are you going to do, Jin? How can you save his life? Surely you've realized by now that if  
  
he loses much more blood, he'll die...if you kill me...you kill him as well...if you harm me, you  
  
chance killing all of us...but if you do nothing...he won't have to worry about being imprisoned in  
  
this place...Urameshi's and Kuwabara's wounds are going to only worsen...to the point of being  
  
fatal in a few minutes...Kurama and you are the only ones left able to fight..." Kura pointed out  
  
monotonously.   
  
'I...I can't do anythin'...' Jin thought sadly to himself. "There's no way...no way..." Jin shut his  
  
eyes, trying to block out the dream-weaver's statement. The wind master didn't notice the  
  
warmed saline tears slide down his face until he felt Touya's hand brush them away.   
  
'Why...is he crying...' Touya asked himself, smiling weakly at the youkai. Jin stared at him,  
  
returning the saddened smile. "I...I'd rather die, knowing...he won't put anyone else under his  
  
spell..." Touya commented quietly, his pain evident in his voice.   
  
'Watching your lover die...helpless' Kurama thought to himself, knowing the pain Touya and Jin  
  
were feeling. 'I have to...there's no other way...forgive me, Hiei...'  
  
Authoress: heh...cliffie?  
  
Hiei: WHY DO I NOT GET TO BE IN A CHAPTER?!  
  
Authoress: You'll be in the next one, don't worry, my Koorime...  
  
Hiei: hn...  
  
Kurama: I wanted to have you in this chapter, Hiei...but she ended it before you would come in...  
  
Authoress: that's the definition of CLIFFHANGER!...I'll make them curious so they have to keep  
  
readin'!  
  
Kurama: SO?! Two cliffhangers in a row!?  
  
Authoress: I guess you're right...but I swear the next chapter won't be a cliffhanger...and it'll be  
  
long...hopefully...  
  
Koenma: Am I gonna be in the next chapter?  
  
Authoress: yesh! *glomps deity* there'll be a whoooole part wif you, toddler-boy! *smiles*  
  
Koenma: *blushes* ^_____^  
  
Authoress: so, until five reviews!...and tell me what you people think is goin' to happen next! I  
  
wanna know if I'm giving enough clues...or too many! ^_____^ JA MATA!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	9. Survival

Authoress: okay, last time, we had a classic cliffhanger...so now, I'm strivin' to actually get  
  
SOMETHING accomplished...yeah...it's, like, an after-Easter resolution! ^_____^...HAPPY  
  
BELATED EASTER EVERYONE!!!!!!...anyways...  
  
Hiei: Easter?  
  
Easter Bunny: *begins humming theme song*  
  
Hiei: O_______O;;;;...okay, I UNDERSTAND!!!!! *torches Easter Bunny*  
  
Authoress: oh, that's not all...*whips out 'The Passion' book (numerous pictures in that thing...)   
  
and shows Hiei*  
  
Hiei: *eye twitches* that's just wrong!  
  
Authoress: ...off that dreary topic...^____^ YAOI SHALL DO US GOOD!!!!!!!...yesh, a lil' R-  
  
rated shtuff always makes things better...eheheh...anyways...I'll do my rants (for the endin') here  
  
too...but I can't promise no comments throughout da chappie...heh...anyways, I HOPE YOU  
  
GUYS LIKE IT!!!!!!...and SIX REVIEWS to the next chapter!!!!!!...(read A Twisted Love Ch.   
  
10's ending rant...and you'll understand...)   
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho...but I do own Kura...(which means 'without light' kinda  
  
darkness)...yeah, admit it...he's cool...not really...he's just kinda messed up...and weird...with a  
  
NEED TO TAKE HORMONAL PILLS OR SOMETHIN'!!!!!!*snort* anti-viagra...*bursts out  
  
laughing*...heh...alright, continuing...I own nothing...and I don't own Viagra...O____O why  
  
would I?   
  
Kura: you done....cuz' that kinda hurt...*sniffle*  
  
Authoress: yep...think so...^____________^  
  
Kura: then do the story! *sigh*  
  
Chapter Nine  
  
"Koenma-sama..." Botan said quietly, poking the toddler. Koenma had been staring at a report  
  
for the past few minutes, a look of absolute dread on his face. "What is it?"  
  
"...dead...Kiba...the dream weaver...they're all dead..." Koenma replied, so softly, Botan had to  
  
strain to hear him.  
  
"Isn't that...good?"  
  
"No..." Koenma answered, flinging the paper across his desk. The sheet of paper fluttered to the  
  
floor and remained there for a few moments until Botan picked it up and read it outloud.  
  
"...as of 12:00 AM, at least nine have died in the Darkened Forest. The list includes: Kiba-sama,  
  
youkai warlord, Kura, youkai that was supposedly killed five hundred years ago..." Botan's voice  
  
faltered as she scanned the rest of the names on the paper, and forced herself to read them.   
  
"Yusuke Urameshi...Kazuma Kuwabara...Shuichi Minamino...Jin...Touya...Hiei Jaganashi...  
  
"B...but...Koenma-sama...they...they...they can't be dead!" Botan exclaimed, warm tears  
  
beginning to run down her face. 'They can't be...gone...Keiko...Yukina...they...they were making  
  
plans for a party when the guys got home...*sniffle* Kurama's mother...she...thinks he's on a  
  
business trip...'   
  
"Botan...I want you to...to go to the Ningenkai and...don't tell anyone about this...not until I tell  
  
you otherwise..."  
  
"But...Koenma-sama...don't you think...*sniffle* that they deser-" Botan was cut off by the deity.  
  
"...those reports...they're not always right...and, if they are dead...then I'll be the one to tell  
  
them..." Koenma replied solemnly. 'Kiba was said to be dead once...so they all might be  
  
alive...or...they had no other choice but to kill the dream weaver...while they all were still in his  
  
world...'  
  
"Then...where are you going?" Botan asked as she watched the toddler change forms and get out  
  
of his chair.  
  
"Sometimes...it's best to do something yourself..." Koenma answered, smiling weakly at the ferry  
  
girl. 'All I can say is...I hope I'm not the only one returning...'  
  
"T' hell was that?!" Jin asked, shaking his head, as he sat up. 'Wha...TOUYA!' Jin glanced  
  
around the room, the fear for his partner leaving him when he saw the youkai laying on a nearby  
  
bed, the wounds that he had received during their fight with Kura had stopped bleeding. On the  
  
contrary, the ice master's, unclothed, upper body didn't have a single scratch...or scar on it.  
  
'...I...I'm alive?' Kurama questioned, staring down at his hands. 'How can I be alive? I...I killed  
  
Kura...we all should be dead...I'm sure I killed him...I...I saw the plants rip him to shreds...it  
  
wasn't an illusion...'   
  
"What the hell just happened!?" Yusuke asked no one in particular as he glanced around the  
  
semi-familiar room. He then saw a youkai and knew where he was. 'Genkai's? We were in  
  
Makai...how did we get here?'  
  
"I was hoping that you could tell us that, Yusuke," Koenma said quietly, kneeling down next to  
  
Yusuke's futon, raising an eyebrow. 'I don't understand...when I arrived Kiba's castle...they  
  
were the only ones alive...there were bodies of so many youkai...but the castle...everything was  
  
gone...'  
  
"We killed the dream weaver," Kurama replied, sitting up. He glanced over at Yukina and saw  
  
that the young youkai was smiling slightly, so he guessed that everyone survived. 'I hope Hiei is  
  
alright,' Kurama thought as he surveyed the room, discovering that the Koorime wasn't in the  
  
small room, and he couldn't sense Hiei's youki anywhere. 'Perhaps he has already returned to the  
  
Makai...'  
  
"I know...but how is it that everyone in that castle except eight, including you five, Hiei, and  
  
Shura, were found dead?" Koenma pointed out.   
  
Kuwabara, thinking over what Koenma said, counted on his fingers for a moment.   
  
"Five...six...seven...who else survived?" The orange-haired ningen sat up, glancing over at the  
  
deity.  
  
"A infant...but he might not live much longer..." Yukina replied softly. "He was badly  
  
injured...and is very sick..." 'I've never seen a child in such...a horrible condition...he was hardly  
  
breathing when Koenma-sama brought him to the temple...and he hasn't woken up...in the two  
  
weeks he's been here...'  
  
'An infant...why would he be the only other one...spared?' Touya wondered, barely listening to  
  
the conversation.   
  
  
  
"So, where's the shrimp?" Kuwabara asked. 'The last thing I remember...was getting slashed by  
  
the dream weaver's scythe...Urameshi was injured too...but the wounds are gone...Yukina must  
  
have healed us...'  
  
"He's in another room..." Yukina answered. "He...he isn't doing as well as all of you..."  
  
"What do you mean?" Yusuke questioned, glancing over at the green-haired woman. 'Hiei has to  
  
be fine...if the rest of us are okay...he has to be too...' Yusuke thought to himself. 'Why can't I  
  
sense his youki?'  
  
"Genkai...what do you think is wrong with Hiei?" Yukina asked, making sure she closed the door  
  
behind herself so the group of Reikai Tantai couldn't hear them.   
  
"I don't know...I can't sense his youki...even if he was cloaking himself...we would feel   
  
-something-...but, it is like he is...dead...but his heart still beats..." Genkai replied quietly, leading  
  
Yukina down the hallway.   
  
"And the child...there is something about him...but I don't know what it is...every time I touch  
  
him...I get the strangest feeling..."  
  
"What kind of feeling?" Genkai questioned, wondering if the Koorime felt the same thing  
  
emanating from the boy.  
  
"...ignorance..."  
  
"I sense it as well..." 'Every single time I look at or touch that child...I feel like I know  
  
nothing...as if I am a small child...and he is the adult...'  
  
'Such strange creatures...showing such...care...and tenderness...perhaps I will watch them a while  
  
longer and see why they were willing to sacrifice their lives to...save this world...from me...'  
  
Authoress: *snorts* Fna! *snort* ahahahahahaahahahah....*cough cough*  
  
Hiei: *eye twitches, leaves room, taking ice cream carton with him*  
  
Authoress: give that back! *waves fist at Koorime's back*  
  
Hiei: hn...*throws ice cream scoop at Authoress, hitting her in the head*  
  
Authoress: @_____@  
  
Koenma: *sigh* another cliffhanger...  
  
Kurama: it IS getting interesting, though...  
  
Kura: *eye twitches* How can you SAY that?! I *sniffle* died!!!!  
  
Authoress: *wakes up from comatose-like state* *covers mouth* I say nothing...until I get...yep,  
  
ya guessed it...six reviews...wait...*scrolls up to beginning rant* I wasn't supposed to do rants at  
  
the end...oh well...^________^ BUH BYE!!!!!!!!!!! 


	10. Bargaining

Authoress: I'm SOOOO sorry that I haven't updated in a while...between havin' to go back  
  
to...*grr* school...and such...I haven't had much time to type...^_____^...please forgive this lowly  
  
authoress, who attempts to make all of you interested with her insane rambling...*bows*  
  
Kura: O____O...nani?  
  
Kurama:....  
  
Hiei: *eye twitches*... 'damn ningen...'  
  
Authoress: I HEARD THAT!!!!  
  
Hiei:...I was thinking that...o___O  
  
Authoress: *grins* I know...I can hear every thought of yours Hiei...ALL of them...heh...  
  
Hiei: *absolute look of fear* O.O;;;;;;;   
  
Authoress: Yep...so don't annoy me, ya kinky beast, ya!!!  
  
Kurama: *totally oblivious* huh?  
  
Kura: *leaves room, only returning when he found a pair of earplugs* *sticks ear plugs in his  
  
pointed ears* -___-;;;;  
  
Kurama: what's going on?  
  
Authoress: nothin...ya missed it...anyways...before my rant takes up a whole page...again...I'll get  
  
on to the story!!!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho...only the almighty Yoshihiro Togashi can ever claim  
  
ownership of our sesky BEASTS!!!!...*ducks as fist, with rings spelling out 'Angela', flies  
  
towards head*...yep, not even you, Ang...can own them!!!! *points and laughs at friend*  
  
*suspicious ax falls from wall, cutting Authoress in two* X_______X  
  
Chapter Ten  
  
'Ningens...such interesting creatures...they actually -care- about others...and they are so  
  
fragile...so easy to break...but they have such will power...to continue living...when they  
  
accomplish nothing...in their short, insignificant lives...perhaps I have not given them enough  
  
credit...but I still have seen nothing that proves...why they should be allowed to live...'   
  
"Genkai...how is Hiei doing?" Kurama asked, catching the elderly ningen's attention. He shifted  
  
his position on the cushion to look at her.   
  
"...how do you think he is doing?" Genkai replied mordaciously, glancing over at Kurama.   
  
'Yukina doesn't want anyone to see Hiei...I have to agree with her...Hiei wouldn't want anyone  
  
to see him in this condition...but Kurama's extremely worried...'  
  
"I can't sense his youki...Yukina won't talk about it...so I think he's doing very badly," Kurama  
  
snapped, his verdant orbs slanting in anger. Genkai was taken aback by his tone, and when  
  
Kurama saw this, his eyes softened. "Forgive me..."  
  
"It isn't your fault...I'll take you to see Hiei..." Genkai said, sighing. 'Kurama should know how  
  
Hiei is doing...he deserves to know...'  
  
"Thank you..." Kurama stated, standing up and following the ningen out of the room. 'Why is it  
  
such a secret...we all know Hiei is hurt...but Yukina and Genkai didn't want us to see him...I  
  
wonder why. If he was that badly wounded...wouldn't he be in the Makai, having the best healers  
  
take care of him?' Kurama chuckled inwardly at this. 'Yukina -is- the greatest healer I've  
  
personally ever met...she is the only one with a kind heart...'   
  
Before Kurama realized it, they were at the door to Hiei's room. With a twinge of fear of what  
  
he would see on the other side of the door, Kurama slid it open, making sure to close it quietly  
  
behind himself when he saw that Genkai wasn't coming in with him. He surveyed the room  
  
quickly, noticing that it was empty except for a futon layered in blankets.   
  
He knelt down on the floor by the futon, staring at the face of his best friend. 'He...' Kurama  
  
gingerly touched the Koorime's cheek, examining his facial features, which were almost exactly as  
  
Kurama remembered, except for one small difference.  
  
Stroking the rounded cheeks with his thumb, Kurama furrowed his eyebrows, trying to figure out  
  
why Yukina wouldn't want him to see Hiei. '...I thought it might have been because Hiei was  
  
aged...from staying in the dream weaver's world so long..but, if anything...he looks...younger...'  
  
"Very good, Youko Kurama...Hiei-san does look younger than he did the last time you saw  
  
him...doesn't he?" A deep voice said from behind Kurama, making the kitsune jump as he whirled  
  
around, praying that the person the voice belonged to wasn't standing there. His prayers were  
  
unanswered as he studied the fall figure of the youkai.   
  
"...Kura..."  
  
"I'm glad you remembered me..." Kura commented as he sat down gracefully on the floor next to  
  
Kurama. "And, don't try to attack me...this is only an illusion..."  
  
"I...I killed you..." Kurama stated, studying the dream-weaver. 'He still looks just like...Kuro...'  
  
"Hai...you did...in my illusions...I'll admit, you surprised me with your determination...I didn't  
  
think that a creature would give their life...with no regrets...to protect others..."  
  
"Why are you here?" Kurama wondered outloud. 'If he is here to attack me...then why hasn't he  
  
killed me yet?' Kurama asked inwardly.  
  
"...a business proposition...if you will..." Kura replied, smiling, showing off his fangs. "It has been  
  
nagging at me since you...left...I wanted to know how much you would give to save those  
  
you...love..."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Hiei-san...you noticed how young he looks...I've reversed the effects of my dreams...and  
  
eventually...well...I'll let you imagine what will happen when he can no longer -un-age..." Kura  
  
stated, chuckling. The hollow laugh made Kurama shiver slightly as Kura's piercing gaze landed  
  
on him again. "That is why his sibling is so worried...she's realized what will inevitably happen to  
  
him...so has that ningen...I believe you call her...Genkai?...Hai...and he won't wake up unless I  
  
want him to..."  
  
"What do you want?" Kurama asked, glaring at the youkai. 'He wants something from -me-...and  
  
he knows how much I care for Hiei...'  
  
"I don't want anything -now-...but I'll ask for repayment when the time comes...don't worry...but  
  
I need you to swear that you will return the...favor..."  
  
"How can you be so sure I will keep my end of the bargain?" Kurama questioned.   
  
"I hold the life of the one you love in my hands...and I, at any time, can squeeze...or sever...that  
  
line that connects his soul to his body...I think that alone will make you keep your promise..."  
  
Kura replied.   
  
"If I say I will return your 'favor'...you'll stop tormenting Hiei..." Kurama commented  
  
questioningly. "And leave him alone...unless I refuse to pay?"  
  
"Hai...and I will return to him everything I've...stolen...but it will take some time for all of it to  
  
return to him..." Kura answered calmly.   
  
"Stolen?"  
  
"His youkai...his senses...his...age...whatever else that he used to have and doesn't own any  
  
longer..." Kura replied. Kurama growled for a moment, wondering what Kura could possibly  
  
want from him.   
  
"And how do I know you'll keep your end of the bargain?"  
  
"Unlike you youko...I believe in keeping promises...anyway...I've taken a...liking to Hiei-san...so  
  
I'd rather not harm him more than I have to..." Kura said, glancing at the Koorime momentarily.   
  
"And, there is one more condition, Youko Kurama...you must not tell anyone...or even hint  
  
at...what our deal is...especially not Hiei...and if you do...I'll make sure his life will end slowly..."  
  
"Why are you doing this?" Kurama asked, trying not to sound too curious, as he watched the  
  
youkai get up slowly. 'There has to be something he wants from me...but what? The way he  
  
talks...it sounds like it is nothing that will harm me...but what do I have that he would want?'  
  
"I know how much my brother cared for you...and that he always wanted you to be happy...and  
  
for making him smile...I will fulfil his wish for you to love again..." Kura replied quietly, glancing  
  
back at Kurama and the sleeping Koorime as his form began to fade. He smiled, his eyes  
  
softening for a moment, then he was gone.  
  
'Arigatou...' Kurama thought as he looked back down at Hiei. 'When the time it comes for me to  
  
repay him...I hope it is nothing more than I can give...' Kurama smiled as he watched the fire  
  
youkai begin to stir.   
  
Authoress: *sniffle* that was cute, Kura...  
  
Kura: *eye twitches* I say nothing...-______-;;;  
  
Kurama: *glomps the Jin-look-alike* thank youuuuu!!!!!  
  
Authoress: THIS ISN'T THE END...SO DON'T STOP READIN'...it was just a lil' ranting  
  
corner...I'm determined to make this the longest chapter out of the whole story!...or so far...I  
  
dunno how long this story's gonna go on...^______^  
  
"Hiei?"  
  
The voice raked through my head repeatedly, making me want to cover my ears and destroy  
  
whatever was making that insistent noise. My head was throbbing, my body felt weighted down,  
  
but I, for the first time...in a long time...I think...I could smell something...something that was  
  
vaguely familiar.  
  
"Hiei...can you hear me?" The voice, one I could remember slightly, but I couldn't picture a face  
  
to fit the soft, almost feminine, sound. I decided the aroma was the scent of roses...roses that  
  
were in full bloom...and the voice matched the scent, but I couldn't...think of who it was.  
  
I tried to open an eye, wanting to know who was trying to wake me up, but all I could see was  
  
black, thankfully, since I didn't want to get up from whatever I was on. It was soft and warm,  
  
two things that I could hardly ever imagine being together when I woke up. Most of the times  
  
when I rose from a slumber, I was wet, cold, having cramps and scratches from sleeping in trees,  
  
or all of them at once.  
  
As I slowly came into full consciousness, I realized three things. First being, I remembered the  
  
face, and name, that matched the voice, the second that I had my eyes open, judging from the  
  
burning sensation I felt coming from them ('must be bright outside...' I thought), and third was I  
  
couldn't sense his youki...  
  
"K...rama?" I barely made out his name as I closed my eyes, which were beginning to water.  
  
"You're awake...how are you feeling?" Kurama asked. I could feel his eyes on me, and I could  
  
imagine what his expression was...one of mixed joy and worry.  
  
"..f...fine..." I mumbled, breathing deeply. 'Why can't I see him?' I began getting frustrated as I  
  
attempted, once again, to look at him...but I couldn't see anything.  
  
"...Are you sure?" Kurama's voice, the only thing I could hear at this moment, echoed through  
  
my head. His tone, filled with worry...over me...surprised me. 'Why is he worrying about me?' I  
  
wondered inwardly.  
  
"Hn..." I snorted, wishing I could glare at the youko.   
  
"Kurama...who are you talking to?" That voice...I immediately recognized it...and as I  
  
heard...and felt...the feet padding across the floor, I could imagine her warming smile.   
  
"Hiei-san..."  
  
"He just woke up..." Kurama said. His eyes glanced up at Yukina momentarily...I could feel his  
  
eyes leave me for a few seconds.   
  
I almost could see Yukina's eyes, full of tears...of happiness. 'She knows...damn you,  
  
Kurama...you told her...' I thought, inwardly...halfheartedly...cursing the kitsune.   
  
"Kurama...would you go and tell Genkai that Hiei-san's woken up?" I could tell she wanted to  
  
speak to me without the youko hearing...but I didn't have the faintest idea what she could  
  
possibly want to talk about.  
  
"Of course..." Kurama replied. I heard him stand up...and leave the room...only stopping for a  
  
moment, most likely to look back at me. As the sound of his feet gently hitting the floor grew  
  
faint, I returned my attention to the Koorime that was sitting down at my side.  
  
"Hiei-san...we were all so worried about you..." Yukina's voice, much higher than Kurama's, was  
  
still as soft, gentle, as the kitsune's...and one that made me feel uncharacteristically at ease.   
  
"Especially Kurama..." She paused for a moment, knowing well enough that I could easily 'see'  
  
how much the young man cared for me. "You've been sleeping for almost a month..."  
  
"The youkai...is he dead?" I asked, trying to get off the uncomfortable topic of Kurama.  
  
"Hai...Kurama killed him..." Yukina replied, her eyes moving around the room. "Hiei-san...why  
  
didn't you tell me that -you- were my brother?"   
  
"..." I tried to put my thoughts into a comprehensible sentence, but each time I tried to voice  
  
what I was thinking, I felt like I would be revealing too much of myself...showing a side I didn't  
  
want anyone to know I had. If they knew I could...feel...then they would try to crumble the  
  
frozen walls around me. "It was better for you."  
  
"Thank you..." If I had the strength to move, I would have pushed her away, but as weak as I  
  
was, I was forced to endure the contact as Yukina wrapped her arms around my upper body,  
  
tightening slightly as she buried her head into my neck. I almost laughed, realizing that part of me  
  
wanted to return the embrace, and that, in a way, I liked having her hug me.  
  
'He's awake...that's good...' Genkai thought to herself, smiling at the baby, her eyes only  
  
momentarily meeting with his bright blue ones.  
  
'Hiei...Kura said his...senses...his youki would return to him slowly...' Kurama thought to himself  
  
as he walked down the quiet halls of the temple. 'I didn't think he seriously meant his five  
  
senses...but at least I know he can hear...but he can't see...Hiei won't be able to do much if he  
  
can't see...and he doesn't have youki...and that, above anything else...will aggravate him greatly.'   
  
Kurama tried to shake the image of Hiei's eyes, blank...void of all emotion...even the usual anger  
  
or coldness were missing from the red orbs. He walked outside of the temple, basking  
  
momentarily in the sunshine, before he went off in search of Genkai, his heart much lighter than it  
  
was not even an hour ago.  
  
Authoress: Now, we skip a lil', so don't be confused...skip as in, like, a month or two...nah...a  
  
month at the most...(Hiei recovered quickly...) ^____^ anyways...on we go!  
  
Kurama jumped out of his chair, papers flying across his desk, as he heard a loud crash. He, only  
  
taking a moment to attempt to put his pieces of paper back in order, finally deciding that it was  
  
hopeless, flew down the stairs, knowing what he would find. He leaned against the doorframe,  
  
knowing that the Koorime didn't know he was standing there. Hiei wouldn't have been able to  
  
hear him over his colorful cursing.   
  
He listened to the fire youkai swear in almost every demonic language Kurama had ever heard of,  
  
and only stopped when he finished picking up all the pieces of the glass vase he could find.   
  
Kurama, watching Hiei make his way to the garbage, slowly picked up a piece of the bluish green  
  
glass that was near his feet, and walked over to the Koorime and gently placed it into his hands,  
  
making sure he didn't accidentally cut the short demon. "You missed a piece."   
  
"Hn..." was Hiei's reply as he threw the sharp pieces of glass into the garbage, his head only  
  
turning to face Kurama for a moment before he began to storm out of the room.   
  
"Hiei...you cut your hands..." Kurama said quietly, looking down at the Koorime's hands, which  
  
were already colored scarlet. Hiei lifted his right hand up to his face and licked his palm, only  
  
stopping when he could no longer feel the irony blood flowing from the wound. He began to tend  
  
to his other hand, but Kurama gingerly took his wrist, leading him to the sink. Hiei, unable to  
  
break the kitsune's hold on his arm, was forced to have Kurama inspect his hand as he washed it  
  
under warm water. Once Kurama was sure that there was no glass remaining in the wound, he  
  
quickly grabbed some bandages, which he had placed in the kitchen for an instance such as this,  
  
and wrapped Hiei's hand.  
  
"Hn..."  
  
'...he can't stand it...he's dependant on us for almost everything...and he hates it...' Kurama  
  
thought, smiling sadly at the Koorime. 'Kura said it would take a while for his senses to return to  
  
him...but he still can't see...and he doesn't have his youki...and its already been a month...'   
  
"Hiei...do you want something to eat?" Kurama asked, trying to think of a reason why Hiei was  
  
walking around the kitchen. He sighed when the Koorime shook his head slightly. 'He hardly  
  
eats...even Yukina has tried to force-feed him...but he won't have us help him do anything...'   
  
Kurama sat down in a chair as he stared into Hiei's face. 'He's lived his whole life with both his   
  
youki and his sight...now, he has neither...'  
  
"Stop staring, kitsune..." Hiei stated coldly, wishing he could give Kurama the most evil glare he  
  
could muster, but he was unsure where exactly the ningen was sitting.  
  
"I'm sorry..." Kurama apologized softly, forcing himself not to touch Hiei. Even a friendly  
  
gesture might scare the Koorime, Kurama kept telling himself...but he couldn't help but want to  
  
hold the depressed youkai, telling him it would be alright, that his eyesight and youki would  
  
return...but he kept reminding himself of his and Kura's promise. 'Not even hinting...I don't  
  
know what he thinks of as hinting...' Kurama thought. 'So I'll have to make sure I say  
  
nothing...unless I want to hurt Hiei even more than I already have...'  
  
Hiei blinked his eyes out of habit, but for the few seconds his eyes were open, all he saw was  
  
black. He could tell the kitsune knew something just from the way Kurama looked at him, as if he  
  
wanted to tell Hiei something, but couldn't. 'Damn Youkos and their secrets...' Hiei thought  
  
inwardly, not wanting to know what was going through the ningen's head.  
  
"Hiei...I..." Kurama wanted to tell the fire youkai how sorry he was for...everything. "...I'm  
  
sorry..."  
  
"I heard you," Hiei retorted, opening his eyes. 'Kitsune no baka...'  
  
"No...I mean...I'm sorry...about what I did...to you..." Kurama mumbled, lowering his head. "I...I  
  
didn't mean to...my Youko side took over..."  
  
'...that? That's what he wanted to tell me?' Hiei thought to himself, wondering why the kitsune  
  
didn't come out in the first place and tell him. "Is that it?"  
  
"Huh?" Kurama's head snapped up at the sound of Hiei's voice. 'Is that it?...what's that  
  
supposed to mean?' Kurama wondered, staring into Hiei's expressionless face.  
  
"I never blamed you..." Hiei muttered, inwardly questioning himself why he was forming  
  
comprehensible sentences...actually carrying on a conversation with the youko.  
  
"But...I..." Kurama trailed off, letting his gaze shift around the room, finally fixing on the table.   
  
He examined the delicate lace tablecloth, its white fibers reminding him of his and Kura's promise.   
  
''I hold the life of the one you love in my hands...and I, at any time, can squeeze...or sever...that  
  
line that connects his soul to his body'...he was right...I'll keep my end of our bargain...because  
  
he can do whatever he wants to Hiei...Just like the lace...only a little pull will destroy it...'  
  
"Kurama?" Hiei's voice pulled Kurama from his thoughts and his scrutinized examination of the  
  
tablecloth.   
  
"What is it, Hiei?" Kurama questioned, glancing up at the Koorime.   
  
"Why are you taking care of me?" Hiei asked, making Kurama's expression change from sadness  
  
to surprise.   
  
"You're my friend, Hiei..." Kurama replied, smiling slightly. 'He doesn't seem to realize...we all  
  
care about him greatly...even if they don't admit it...Hiei is like a brother to Kuwabara, Yusuke,  
  
and Koenma...'  
  
"No...what you feel for me...it isn't friendship..." Hiei stated. 'What is it? He cares for me...just  
  
as much as Yukina...but I know he doesn't see me as family...' Hiei thought to himself.   
  
"Y...you're right..." Kurama admitted. 'It's anything but friendship...friends don't dream about  
  
one another...especially knowing...the other won't return the affection...' Kurama thought to  
  
himself, holding back a sigh.  
  
"Then...what is it?" Hiei's question made Kurama's eyes widen in amazement. Trying not to  
  
show his disbelief, Kurama turned his head to stare out the window. "Kurama?"  
  
"...I...it's something you're too young to understand, Hiei..." Kurama replied truthfully. Knowing  
  
Kurama was speaking the complete truth made Hiei growl. The Koorime hated knowing he was  
  
missing something...not understanding fully...and not able to comprehend...-what- he wanted to  
  
know...just because he was younger than most.  
  
"Tell me anyway..." Hiei stated, aiming his eyes in, what he hoped was, Kurama's direction. He  
  
heard Kurama chuckle quietly as the kitsune's eyes returned to the Koorime. "Nani?"  
  
"...love probably doesn't mean much to you...does it?" Kurama asked, staring into Hiei's blank  
  
eyes. 'Love?...what the hell is he talking about?' Hiei asked himself, shaking his head.   
  
"When...two people love one another...they like to be in one another's company...they care  
  
greatly about each other...and they do...certain things...and um..." Kurama never knew how hard  
  
it was to describe 'love'...especially to a small youkai who didn't even know what flirting was.   
  
"'Certain things?'" Hiei repeated questioningly, raising an eyebrow.   
  
"...hai...they have sex..." Kurama replied, hoping Hiei didn't need that explained as well, but from  
  
the curious expression on the Koorime's face, he could tell Hiei didn't have the slightest clue.   
  
"Sex is well...um...it...it's kinda hard to explain..."  
  
"Then show me..." Hiei said. Kurama shook his head, unsure of what Hiei just said. '...show  
  
me...' Kurama inwardly cursed, his youko side urging him to take this opportunity to make Hiei  
  
his lover. 'He's only a child...'  
  
'But a sexy one...'  
  
'Youko...'  
  
'Don't try to deny you lust after him...'  
  
'Damn you...Hiei doesn't understand what it means...I won't!'  
  
'Heh...lies...I can tell when you lie, Shuichi...'  
  
'Leave me be!'  
  
'How can I?...unless you're willing to leave me alone with Hiei...'  
  
'Never!'  
  
'Then you have to deal with me...'  
  
Kurama shook his head, trying to shake the voice from his head. "...I can't..." Hiei cocked his  
  
head to one side, wondering why Kurama couldn't show him what 'sex' was.   
  
"Why not?"  
  
"There's about a thousand moral reasons...you're too young...you don't know what it means..."  
  
Kurama trailed off, his lower body and youko aspect protesting as he inwardly listed the  
  
numerous reasons to why he wouldn't touch the small fire youkai. Kurama watched Hiei for a  
  
moment, noticing the Koorime slightly puff out his cheeks at being called 'too young.' The action  
  
made Hiei look so cute and, Kurama mentally groaned at his observation, made the Koorime  
  
appear to be his actual age, that, even by ningen terms, was young.   
  
"Why do you keep calling me too young!" Hiei exclaimed, his lips making a pouting frown. "I'm  
  
not a child!"   
  
"I...I'm sorry, Hiei...you're mentally not a child...I know that...but...physically...you're too  
  
little..." Kurama replied softly. He studied the pouting demon, his arms folded across his small,  
  
yet muscular, chest. Kurama, for the first time, noticed that Hiei wasn't wearing a shirt. The  
  
Koorime, oblivious to the fact Kurama was staring at his perfectly sculpted chest, closed his eyes.   
  
He didn't open his eyes until after he heard Kurama's chair scrape against the floor. He knew the  
  
youko was getting up, most likely to leave, but when he opened his eyes, he felt Kurama's eyes on  
  
him...and the kitsune was so close, the aroma of roses was almost overpowering. He felt Kurama  
  
gently brush his lips against his forehead. Hiei was so surprised at the action, he couldn't move to  
  
dodge the kiss.   
  
Kurama left the room quietly, leaving Hiei in the kitchen alone. 'What the...' Hiei touched his  
  
forehead, the exact spot on his ward where Kurama had kissed him, and shut his eyes, shaking his  
  
head. When he opened them again, he could, blurry as it was, see his hand.  
  
"Aw, that was cute, Youko Kurama..."   
  
"I thought you were going to leave us alone, Kiba..." Kurama stated, closing his door behind  
  
himself. He looked up and, sure as the sun rose each morning, the cloaked figure of Kuronue was  
  
sitting on his windowsill, in the same exact position Hiei always sat when the Koorime came to  
  
visit.  
  
"No...I said I wouldn't touch Hiei-san...which I haven't...I just wanted to tell you...with every bit  
  
progress you make with Hiei...he'll begin returning to normal...since I know how hard that  
  
situation was for you...I have given him his sight back...next time...it might be his  
  
youki...maybe...it depends on what you do..."  
  
"Do you enjoy tormenting Hiei?" Kurama asked, sitting down at his desk. He leafed through the  
  
pages on his desk, starting to put them back in order.  
  
"No...but, just remember, when he does have his youki returned...do you think he will stay here?   
  
Or will he fall in love with you before that happens? I only ask, since I want to understand this  
  
emotion you call 'ai'...if it was powerful enough that my brother died for it...then I would  
  
be...glad to see it..." Kura replied, glancing over at Kurama.   
  
"If you don't mind...I'd rather you didn't play around with Hiei..."  
  
"I'm not...I just want to comprehend, fully, what love is..." Kura answered. "Truthfully, I don't  
  
see what is so great about fucking another creature...all it gives you is a little pleasure..."  
  
"Kura...if you knew what love was...you would realize it isn't all about sex..." Kurama replied  
  
cooly. 'Kura is the exact opposite of Kuro...he was always a romantic...and he was so kind to  
  
everyone...if he hadn't have died...I would probably never have met Hiei...or been a Reikai  
  
Tantai...I would still be living in the Makai under the name Youko Kurama...I wonder which life  
  
would be better...one with Kuro...living a life where I'm continuously hunted, but I do what I find  
  
pleasure in and have a partner who feels the same emotions towards me...or being here with  
  
Hiei...and knowing a mother's love...and being surrounded by friends...but not being allowed to be  
  
myself...'  
  
"Then why was it sex was a main thing you were saying love was about to Hiei?" Kura asked,  
  
lifting a thin eyebrow.   
  
"...I don't know..." Kurama admitted. "Kura...if Kuro was still alive...and he had saved  
  
you...what would you be doing right now?"  
  
"...I'd be living the rest of my life...contently...in the company of my sister..." Kura replied, his  
  
tone reflecting seething enmity. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"...you loved her...it is almost the same feeling I feel towards Hiei...I would be completely content  
  
just being able to see him happy every single day...even if it wasn't filled with sex...just seeing him  
  
smile would make my life complete..." Kurama said. "I know Hiei wouldn't understand why I  
  
would be glad to see him...content..."  
  
"I guess you're right...Youko Kurama..." Kura commented, swinging his legs over the side of the  
  
window. "I shall see you again...I think you should go to Hiei...his eyes are going to be sensitive  
  
to light for a while..."  
  
With that said, Kura disappeared from the window. Kurama stared at the open window, the only  
  
proof that he wasn't hallucinating was the lingering scent of Sakura blossoms...which, Kurama  
  
knew, weren't blooming. 'How can an illusion carry a smell?' Kurama asked inwardly, running  
  
down the stairs to see if what Kura said was true.  
  
Authoress: shna! *grins*  
  
Kura: -______-;;; *leaves quickly*  
  
Authoress: *sniff sniff* ya smell like BLOSSOMS!!!!!!!  
  
Kura: SHUT UP!!!! (from another room)  
  
Hiei: *staring at hands in rapt fascination* O.O  
  
Kurama: *sniff* I can smell it too...  
  
Authoress: so, was that long enough for all o' ya...and *bows* I'm sorry for da...cliffy-kinda  
  
ending to dis chapter...of...*da da daaaaa* Ze story!!!!!!!...*begins singing along with random  
  
songs that pop into head*  
  
Hiei: O.O;;;  
  
Koenma: *begins to sing along with Creed 'Higher'*  
  
Authoress: ^_______^ Anyways...this is it...the longest chappie I'll ever write!...I think...perhaps I  
  
will be in a creative/descriptive mood one day...and write somethin'  
  
longer...O_____o...dunno...so, anyways...next chappie, we'll be talking 'bout...um...a lil' more of  
  
Kiba...and ah...let's see...debating on a new review number...(which is SIX!!!!!...Seis...whateva!)   
  
^____^ *waves furiously* 


	11. Reawakening

Authoress: I can't read my own handwriting...and it's not good...OO;;;  
  
Yusuke: it's like friggin' calligraphy, how do you expect ANYONE to read all those loops and  
  
stuff?!  
  
Authoress:...it's artistic...and, that just dissuades them from copying my homework......  
  
Kura: --;;;;  
  
Authoress: I'm soooorrry!!!!...I am an idiot, I admit it!...because, one day I'm leafing through  
  
stuff, and find this Japanese word, meaning darkness, and it looks interesting...so I decide to write  
  
it down and use it as grabs Kura his name...but I, the one who cannot read my own cryptic  
  
writing, misspelt...mistyped it...it's K-U-R-A-I...not Kura...so, I have no friggin' idea what Kura  
  
means...if it means anything...OO;;;;;....yeah, now that that's cleared up...  
  
Kura: desperately searches for Japanese to English dictionary --;;; you don't even know  
  
what 'Kura' means!  
  
Authoress: I know...anyways...on to the story!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho...but I own Kura...;;;...yep...the weird one's  
  
mine! laughs insanely  
  
Chapter Eleven  
  
"Kurama...are you alright?" Yukina's soft voice woke Kurama, the kitsune's green eyes flying  
  
open the moment he heard her.   
  
"Huh..." Kurama looked around the room, noticing he was in Genkai's temple. 'What happened?   
  
I...I was at my house a moment ago...'  
  
"You must have fallen asleep...I wanted to tell you that Hiei woke up a little while ago..." Yukina  
  
said, standing back up as she turned to leave the room. "He wanted to speak to you..."  
  
'Hiei...woke up?...but...Kura...' Kurama thought, seeing a black blur out of the corner of his eye.   
  
He turned his head and saw the tall youkai standing in the doorway of the room. Yukina let out a  
  
'eep' when she saw the cloaked demon, but remained perfectly still.  
  
"Very good, Youko Kurama...and our deal is still on...but this is real...remember that..." Kura  
  
stated cooly, glancing back at Kurama as he began to step out of the room.   
  
"Wait!" Kurama cried, standing up. 'That bastard...Koenma said he's dead...but then, how is it  
  
he's here...and still using his abilities to trick me?!'   
  
"I'm not dead...I'm as alive as Hiei is...but Kiba's dead...the toddler's report was right about  
  
him..." Kura said quietly, just loud enough for Yukina and Kurama to hear. "I'll be watching you  
  
Kurama...don't forget that..."  
  
With that, he disappeared through the dark doorway. 'If this isn't a dream...why does he still  
  
look like Kuro...exactly like him?' Kurama asked inwardly, glancing over at Yukina. The  
  
Koorime's eyes were wider than usual and she remained silent for a moment before her eyes  
  
focused on Kurama. "Who was he?"  
  
"A...friend..." the kitsune replied, smiling. "Can I go see Hiei?" Without waiting for Yukina's  
  
answer, Kurama took off towards the room Hiei was in...hoping that certain parts of 'his' dream  
  
weren't true.  
  
'Youko Kurama...you care so much for others...nothing like the rumors I heard of the infamous  
  
thief...I guess this is what ningens did to you...I won't let the same happen to me...' he thought to  
  
himself staring at the elderly woman with indifferent eyes. She turned her head slightly, grayish-  
  
purple hair hiding her eyes from view, but he could feel the knowing gaze land on him for a  
  
moment before leaving him to scan the rest of the room.  
  
'...I...why am I here?' Hiei asked himself, staring around the room once the green haired woman  
  
left. 'I was at Kurama's...' He looked down at his hands, relieved to see his eyesight had  
  
returned, and was as clear as he could remember it ever being, but he also noticed that the cuts he  
  
had were gone, not even a scar to prove they were once there.  
  
"That was a dream, Hiei-san..." a semi-familiar voice said from the Koorime's right side. Hiei  
  
stared at the tall youkai, wondering what was going on. "Forgive me...I didn't mean to confuse  
  
you...or take your youth...or your youki..."  
  
"...you're the dream weaver?" Hiei asked, staring into the youkai's ice blue eyes. The demon  
  
nodded his head, walking closer to the fire youkai until Hiei could clearly see the glimmer of tears  
  
in the blue orbs. 'He...he's crying...'  
  
"I didn't mean for you to be hurt...I...I didn't want you or your friends hurt...I tried...but they're  
  
alright now...I...I had to heal them...but your sister healed them more than I could ever..." the  
  
demon trailed off, lowering his head so Hiei couldn't see the tears beginning to slide down his thin  
  
face. "I...I just wanted to leave that place...I was there for so long...you were the first person I've  
  
ever met...that...was kind to me...besides my family..."  
  
"..." Hiei stared at the youkai, noticing the demon's shoulders shuttering as he stifled sob after  
  
sob. The bat demon slid to the ground, his balled fists wiping at his eyes in attempt to dry the  
  
saline tears. "Why...why are you doing this?"  
  
"...Kuro always told me that 'love was the most powerful of emotions'...and that I should feel  
  
blessed when I find the right person for me..." he sniffled, wiping his nose with his forearm. "I...I  
  
didn't want to sit back and watch...you and Youko Kurama grow apart...despite everything I've  
  
heard of Youko Kurama...I want him to be happy...to love...to have a second chance...but I want  
  
you to know 'ai' more than anything else...  
  
"I've seen your past...our lives are so similar...in so many ways...I can't help but think that...we're  
  
the same...but you -have- a chance to love...therein lies our difference..." He looked up at Hiei,  
  
smiling weakly. "Strange...I...I've never cried before...but seeing you compels me to...show my  
  
emotions..."  
  
He stood up, sniffling a few more times before he started to move towards the opened door.   
  
"Perhaps one day you'll have the chance to do the same for another..." he whispered as he  
  
disappeared, only leaving a saturated spot on the wooden floor where he was a moment ago. Hiei  
  
stared at he floor for a moment, watching the puddle of tears fade away.  
  
Hiei's eyebrow raised unconsciously as he thought over the youkai's words, wondering what he  
  
was talking about. 'Who is that youkai? I...I couldn't sense his youki...but he seemed  
  
familiar...why is it he wants...to help me? I don't even know who he is...or his name...' Hiei  
  
shook his head, trying to forget about the youkai, but the blue eyes kept entering his mind. Eyes  
  
that Hiei was positive he had seen before. '...we're the same...' Hiei wondered what the  
  
mysterious demon meant by that, but was wrenched from his thoughts when he heard footsteps  
  
padding down the hallway. Kurama gracefully walked into the room, his feminine face  
  
brightening considerably when he saw Hiei.  
  
"Hiei..." Kurama smiled weakly, seeing the Koorime's eyes focus on him almost immediately.   
  
'He...he can see me...that's an improvement...but that was only a dream...' Kurama reminded  
  
himself. The fire youkai stared at him, his face showing the usual cold glare he gave everyone,  
  
but Kurama knew the small demon better. 'Kura...he didn't want to harm Hiei...perhaps that is  
  
why he hasn't aged any from being in his dimension...' Kurama studied the young heir's face, not  
  
seeing a single difference since the last time he saw the Koorime.   
  
"What are you staring at, kitsune?" Hiei asked gruffly, glaring at Kurama. 'He's always staring...'   
  
Hiei thought to himself. 'What did that youkai mean when he wanted me to know love?...and he  
  
kept talking about Kurama...why?'  
  
"It's nothing...I'm just relieved to see you're fine," Kurama replied, still keeping his distance from  
  
the Koorime sitting on the futon. 'The...last time I saw him...I-it was just a dream...Hiei would  
  
never forgive me...' Kurama decided, remembering Kura's illusion. 'How could someone forgive  
  
me after that?'  
  
"What was the dream-weaver's name?" Hiei shifted his gaze from Kurama's unnatural-looking  
  
green eyes to his hands. He studied his wrists, then the long-sleeved shirt he was wearing. The  
  
silky fabric was comfortable, but it made Hiei wonder why he was wearing a shirt with sleeves  
  
when it was warm in the room, and that he was a -fire- youkai.  
  
"Kura..." Kurama answered quietly, remaining motionless on the other side of the room. 'He  
  
must not be able to stand looking at me...' Kurama thought, noticing the Koorime's inspection of  
  
his hands and shirt.   
  
Hiei had a sinking feeling in his stomach as he rolled up the sleeve on his left arm, then began  
  
working on his right. He studied his right forearm for a moment, realizing something he had  
  
overlooked when he had first woken up.  
  
"...the...dragon..." Kurama thought outloud. 'It's...gone...' he added inwardly, his eyes widening  
  
when he saw the unmarked alabaster skin on Hiei's arm. 'Why is it gone?' Kurama bit his  
  
tongue, forcing himself not to gasp when he felt the fire demon's youki...or lack of it.  
  
'...'I didn't mean to confuse you...or take your youth...or your youki'...he...stole my youki...how?'  
  
Hiei asked inwardly, instantly wondering what...Kura...meant by 'youth.' "Kurama...what  
  
happened?"  
  
"...what do you mean?"  
  
"What did he do to me?" Hiei replied, ripping his eyesight from his unmarked skin.  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
Authoress: searches through sketch books grins, holding up her prize  
  
Hiei: I'm leaving --;;;  
  
Authoress: begins munching on large chunk of chocolate what?  
  
Kurama: OO where did that come from?  
  
Authoress: my...room...licks ball of chocolate yum...  
  
Yusuke/Koenma: drool can we have some?  
  
Authoress: shaves two small pieces from massive amount of chocolatey goodness and throws at  
  
bishonens Here ya go!  
  
Yusuke/Koenma: growl, begin fighting for shreds of chocolate  
  
Authoress: anyways, so sorry about the cliff hanger...I'm sooo far behind all of meh stories,   
  
so, the next few chapters will, most likely, be short and accomplish nothing (in the terms of the  
  
'relationship'...) So, the usual six reviews, and I'll put up a longer chapter if ya peoples ask for  
  
it!!!!!! 


	12. Aisu

Authoress: GOMEN NASI!!!!...I didn't mean to take so long to update...but my parents kicked  
  
me off the only computer that has the internet...so I have to update and stuff at school...--;;;  
  
yeah...So, anyways...I'm not getting my 'quota'...but, at this point, I don't give a damn...so, from  
  
now on...I'll get my lazy ass in motion when I can...and, unless everyone in Fanfiction told me to  
  
do so (highly unlikely), I won't put more than one chappie (I hope) up ah...every two weeks or  
  
so...but it'll soon speed up...school's out next week does dance yeah, what now?!  
  
Kurama: OO...  
  
Hiei: hn...  
  
Authoress: anyways...please forgive me, my wonderful reviewers who, like, never flame my ass to  
  
hell 'n' back...AND YOU DON'T COUNT ANG!!!!...sniffle she's gonna kill me if I don't put  
  
up a new chappie soon...cries, clinging to Kura   
  
Kura: glares ...you don't know what my name means   
  
Authoress: actually, I looked it up...it means --;;; sigh elevator, saddle...and such things...I  
  
guess the saddle part kinda fits you...  
  
Kura: WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!?!??!? Oo...  
  
Authoress: nothing...  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho...only Kura and meh own ideas so I can twist the story  
  
however I want...;;;...so please don't kill me for my...thoughts...  
  
Chapter Twelve  
  
Kurama stared into Hiei's blood red eyes, trying to think of a better answer than 'I don't know,'  
  
but couldn't think of anything else. The Koorime stood up and quickly stretched, then surveyed  
  
the room. Kurama watched in awe as the small youkai took off his shirt, flinging the article of  
  
clothing to the other side of the room, and nearly gasped when he saw that the boyish-looking  
  
demon's once muscular frame.  
  
Where there were rock solid muscles, now there was nothing resembling the once chiseled body  
  
of Hiei. Kurama could see no definition in Hiei's arms, his chest and abdomen were perfectly  
  
smooth, even the muscles in the fire youkai's back were missing.   
  
Hiei glared at his body in a nearby mirror, his anger rising. 'That bastard...what did he do to me?'  
  
he thought to himself, his enmity seething. Kurama winced, turning his head from the Koorime  
  
when he realized what Hiei was going to do.   
  
The young fighter's fist collided with the glass, resounding with a loud, echoing crack. Kurama  
  
looked back at the heir, diverting his gaze when he saw the mirror. Hiei removed his small fist  
  
from the glass, only to have his darker emotions grow when he saw that he had only left a small  
  
crack in the thin mirror. He stared at his slightly distorted reflection, cracking his knuckles.  
  
"Kurama?" Yukina's voice floated into the room, a tone of concern in her voice. Kurama guessed  
  
she heard Hiei's fist connecting with the large mirror that was hanging from the wall. The green-  
  
haired woman opened the door slightly, poking her head in. She smiled sorrowfully for a  
  
moment, almost so fast Kurama didn't catch it, when she saw Hiei. "Are you feeling better Hiei?"  
  
Hiei shifted his gaze to his sibling, narrowing his eyes, as if he was telling her 'what the hell do  
  
you think.' Yukina bowed her head and left the room, opening the door a little wider as she  
  
walked into the hallway.   
  
"Hiei...you've been unconscious for a while...loss of muscle mass is normal..." Kurama  
  
commented, hoping to cheer up the youkai, but only succeeded in making Hiei 'hn' and stare at  
  
him. "Why did you want to know the dream-weaver's name?"  
  
"...it is none of your business, kitsune." Hiei snorted, his eyes never leaving the fox, which made  
  
Kurama feel uncomfortable. He shifted in his seat on the floor, glancing around the room.  
  
"All that time asleep sure didn't approve your mood..." a voice from behind Kurama stated.   
  
Kurama didn't need to turn around to know that the black-haired Reikai Tantai was there. He  
  
pictured Yusuke leaning against the doorframe, his arms folded across his chest, grinning at the  
  
half-dressed Koorime.  
  
"Hn..."  
  
"Hello Yusuke," Kurama said, cheerfully as he could, as he turned his head to look at their  
  
'leader.' "Where's Kuwabara?"  
  
"With Yukina...as if you had to ask..." Yusuke walked into the room, flopping down onto the  
  
floor next to Kurama and sighed. "You doin' okay, Hiei?" Hiei's eyes changed their victim  
  
abruptly, glaring at Yusuke instead of Kurama. "Jeez...you would think after we come to save  
  
your sorry ass, you'd at least be a little nicer to us..."  
  
"I didn't ask you to..." Hiei retorted, his voice unnerving in its soft, yet at the same time gruff,  
  
tone. Kurama made a mental note to as Hiei, when he was in a better mood, how he did that.  
  
"Like I had a choice...Kurama pretty much dragged all of us there..." Yusuke stated, glancing  
  
over at Kurama knowingly for an instant. "Anyways, we wouldn't let one of our friends die  
  
because of that freaky Kiba guy..." Yusuke shuddered, remembering the youkai, and his spirits  
  
were lifted immediately when he reminded himself that the creature was dead. "Too bad that  
  
Kura guy died too...he didn't seem that bad..."  
  
'Died?' Hiei thought inwardly, glancing from Yusuke to Kurama. 'Kurama knows he's still  
  
alive...' Hiei unclenched his fist before he began cutting into his skin, letting his arms hang limply  
  
against his thin body. He lowered his eyes to the floor, wondering why Kurama wouldn't correct  
  
Yusuke.  
  
"You look much better today," Yukina stated cheerfully, picking up the chubby infant from the  
  
wooded crib, smiling when she heard him coo softly, his small fingers weaving into her hair as  
  
soon as she cradled him in her arms. She studied the boy for a moment, wondering what he was.   
  
She could tell he was a demon, without even seeing his long, pointed ears, the claws beginning to  
  
grow on his small hands, or the youki she felt coming from him. His eyes alone were enough to  
  
prove he was not a ningen, with their eerie azure color and the way they darted around the room,  
  
taking in his surroundings.  
  
"Have you thought of a name for him yet?" Genkai asked as she took the baby out of Yukina's  
  
arms, which made him giggle, showing off his toothless gums.  
  
"...hmm...what about..." Yukina thought for a moment, then glanced down at the boy. "How  
  
about Tsuyu or Aisu..." Genkai nodded, looking at the child. "Which one do you like?" Yukina  
  
asked, bending to play with the baby's small fists.   
  
"Ooo...he's sooo cute!" Kuwabara stated, walking into the room, and immediately seeing the  
  
small baby. Yukina stifled a laugh as the tall man cooed, making faces at the child as soon as he  
  
reached the two women. "What's his name?" Kuwabara asked, looking up at Yukina once he had  
  
succeeded in making the baby squeal, kicking his fat legs into the air.  
  
"We were thinking either Aisu or Tsuyu...what do you think?" Yukina replied. She looked down  
  
at the baby, smiling. He stared back at her, his small nose scrunching up.   
  
"I think Aisu..." Genkai commented, shifting the heavy baby in her arms. 'With eyes like that...he  
  
might be a Koorime...I've never seen eyes that color on any other youkai...' Genkai thought to  
  
herself, smiling when she saw the baby clap his hands when she finished her statement.   
  
"Then Aisu it is," Yukina agreed, staring into the baby's big eyes.  
  
"Aisu? That's a strange name..." Kurama said quietly, glancing into the crib and studied the  
  
newest member of the 'gang.' The baby's small body was curled around a sky blue blanket, his  
  
obsidian hair fanned out across the crib. Kurama smiled, listening to Aisu's soft breathing.   
  
Yukina had asked him to figure out what the baby was, since he had lived in the Makai for  
  
centuries and had seen almost all types of youkai.   
  
Kurama studied the child's ears, which were similar to those of half of the youkai races, but then  
  
caught a glimpse of the baby's back as the infant shifted in his sleep. He sighed, realizing what  
  
Aisu was. 'A bat youkai...just like Kuro...I didn't believe Kuro when he said that all bat demons  
  
are born without their wings and their wings don't grow until they are at least five...' Kurama  
  
thought. He noticed that the sadness he felt now was much less than the pain he used to feel.   
  
"Maybe you're somehow related to Kuro and Kura, Aisu..." Kurama thought outloud, gently  
  
brushing a few strands of hair from the child's angelic face.   
  
Authoress: I'm sooo sorry for the short chapter...;;;...I truly am!   
  
Aisu: OO;;;  
  
Kurama: leaves room  
  
Authoress: WHAT?! I...um...it's late...I have finals tomorrow...waves fist in the air DAMN  
  
SCIENCE AND MATH!!!!!...;;;...my two worst subjects...K'SO!  
  
Hiei: flings review book at Authoress's head, knocking ningen unconscious hn...  
  
Kurama: HIEI!!! Now, we'll never be able to leave! sniffles, walking back into the room  
  
Authoress: XX...  
  
Kurama: you killed her!  
  
Koenma: pops out of nowhere and revives Authoress ;; leaves  
  
Authoress: O.O...um...okay then...anyways, before I forget and get, like, reviews asking  
  
this...Aisu means 'ice' in Japanese...Tsuyu (the other suggested name) means 'dew'...--;;;  
  
people shouldn't leave me alone to learn all this stuff...IT'S NOT GOOD FOR MY SPANISH  
  
CLASSES...trying to put 'baka' for stupid...DAMN TEACHER WON'T TAKE IT!!!!...I detest  
  
that woman...I truly do...  
  
Kurama: sweatdrops are you done yet?  
  
Authoress: okay, okay...since I've given up on the whole review thing, I'll see y'all the next time I  
  
get my lazy ass in motion to write a new chapter!!!!!!!! SEEEEE YAAAA!!!!! ;;;; 


	13. Shinju

Authoress: okay, back again wif...um...chapter Thirteen!! Whoo...yeah, faked enthusiasm...I'm  
  
sorry for takin' so long...--;;; but between my 'summer jobs' (aka, parents selling me for slave  
  
labor)...and stuff, I've had little time to write...  
  
Kura: just admit it, you don't even get out of bed 'til one in the afternoon, ya lazy ass!  
  
Authoress: Oo...yeah, but I'm up from five or six in the morning...all that time is spent thinking  
  
over these stories...and if ya don't shut yer yap, I'll make something horrribible happen to you!  
  
Kura: trembles in fear FORGIVE MEEE!!!!  
  
Authoress: hai, I'll forgive you this time, my minion of darkness! laughs evilly  
  
Disclaimer: I only own Aisu and Kura in this story...I think...no, wait...I don't know...sniffles I  
  
WANNA OWN KOENMA OR JIIIINNNN!!!!!!...even Suzaku would be nice...sniffle  
  
Chapter Thirteen  
  
Kurama laid his head down on his pillow, overjoyed to finally be home. With everything going  
  
on, he was forced to remain at Genkai's temple until Hiei was stable, or at least as stable as Hiei  
  
had ever been. The small Koorime was about to rip out Kurama's throat, wanting to know where  
  
Kura was so he could kill the dream weaver. Hiei promised the most painful death for the youkai  
  
when he finally found him, which Kurama was quite sure wasn't just a threat.  
  
His bed creaked quietly as he turned onto his side, staring at the open window whose windowsill  
  
was unoccupied. Kurama mentally slapped himself, trying to stop thinking about Hiei, all the  
  
times the Koorime slept on that windowsill just because it was raining or snowing. Kurama  
  
guessed he was the only person who knew how much Hiei hated those things, since every time the  
  
first snowflake fell, Hiei would be racing into the window, 'hning' and grumbling about ningen  
  
weather.  
  
Kurama could tell that those friendly days were long gone, since Hiei was now just as weak as the  
  
humans he had come to hate so much, and no matter how much he and Yukina tried to assure him  
  
that eventually his youki would return along with his strength, he cursed them, quickly walking  
  
away, since he could no longer flit.  
  
"Stop with those pathetic thoughts, Youko," a voice said from Kurama's doorway. Kurama  
  
glared at the intruder with the most evil stare he could conjure up at that moment. "And don't  
  
give me that look either. I just came to tell you something...something I think will make you feel  
  
a little better."  
  
"Nani?" Kurama asked, his gaze returning to the empty window.  
  
"Our deal is off...I don't know if you've noticed yet, but I cannot control when Hiei-san's youki,  
  
strength...everything returns...if it was my choice, he would have never known his youki -was-  
  
missing..." Kura said softly from the doorway. He moved slightly so he could lean against the  
  
doorframe, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath.  
  
"Why are you telling me this? You could have easily gotten anything from me..."  
  
"I had originally thought to make your end of the bargain to die...and not return in your Youko  
  
form...but I can't do that to Hiei-san...and those others that care for you so. And I've been  
  
thinking. I've decided that you aren't the reason for Kuro's death...I am, so I will cease  
  
tormenting you..." Kura replied. Kurama could tell the youkai was walking closer to him from  
  
the soft padding of feet on his carpeted floor. His eyes remained fixed on the windowsill until he  
  
heard the popping of Kura's knees as he bent down next to the bed. (A/N: my knees pop too!!! I  
  
don't know why though Oo...hmmm...there has to be some freaky reason as to why...glares  
  
evilly at those around her) "I will finally be able to see Kuro again..."  
  
Kurama turned and stared into Kura's cold eyes. If they had been anything like Kuro's  
  
compassionate eyes, he would have mistaken the youkai's statement for something Kuro said.  
  
"I will finally be able to see them again, Kurama..." Kuronue whispered, his voice  
  
overjoyed. "I'll use that mirror to find them...then I'll bring them back here...and we can be one  
  
big family. Kura and Yume would love you, I'm sure."  
  
Kurama nuzzled his nose into Kuro's neck. "They say that mirror's cursed,  
  
Kuro...that anyone who touches it dies a most painful death..."  
  
"Then I'll die with you, koi," Kuro replied softly, running his nails gently across  
  
Kurama's back, trying to soothe the youko's fears. "And I thought you didn't believe in curses."  
  
'That mirror...it's the reason Kuro died...and I died soon after...so it really was cursed...good  
  
thing I destroyed it after I buried Kuro...I never even tried to look for them...I betrayed Kuro's  
  
trust...' "You're going to kill yourself?" Kurama asked, shaking himself from the past.  
  
"After everything I've done...it is only fair..." Kura replied, slowly standing up. "I guess Hiei-san  
  
won't have the pleasure of killing me..."  
  
"Why don't you keep on living? If you die, your curse will only continue to live..." Kurama  
  
pointed out, inwardly not caring half a damn if the youkai killed himself . Just as long as Kura's  
  
blood didn't stain his carpet, Kurama didn't care. He shook such 'evil' thoughts from his mind,  
  
slightly horrified that his youko side was beginning to show itself in his ningen life.  
  
"Why? I've done things that are too horrible for words...I've destroyed Hiei-san's life...and yours  
  
as well..." Kura answered quietly. His voice sounded so much like Kuro's, Kurama couldn't help  
  
but feel sorry for the youkai.   
  
Kurama forced himself to look the youkai in the eyes as he made up his mind, trying to remember  
  
that this was Kuronue's only living family, and not the person who destroyed Hiei's life.  
  
"Don't...don't kill yourself, Kura. I made a promise to Kuro...and however late this may seem, I  
  
want to keep it..." Kurama could easily remember all the times his koibito made him promise that  
  
he would look for and protect his siblings if anything should ever happened to him. Kurama  
  
always thought Kuro was being paranoid, and assured the youkai that nothing would happen to  
  
him.  
  
"Arigato, Youko...but I can't...how could I live in a world that hates me?" Kura asked, turning to  
  
leave.   
  
"Take a new name...don't tell anyone who you are. It would be the same thing I did...with a few  
  
exceptions..." Kurama stated, studying the youkai's hunched shoulders. 'Why is he regretting  
  
everything he's done all of a sudden?'  
  
"It's because I have discovered what my brother found in you...what you see in Hiei-san...why  
  
you remain in the Ningenkai..." Kura replied, smiling slightly. "Goodbye, You-"  
  
"How about another deal?" Kurama quickly interrupted the youkai's farewell, quickly sitting up  
  
on his bed. "If you promise not to kill yourself, I'll do something for you...whatever you wish."  
  
"Whatever I wish? Alright...don't give up on Hiei-san. He cares about you greatly, but he  
  
doesn't know how to show it...and he will grow up soon...I couldn't give him back all of his  
  
youth..." Kura said, turning to look at Kurama.   
  
"Show me what you truly look like," Kurama stated, almost in a demand, as he slid off of the bed.   
  
He made a memo in his head to ponder over Kura's last statement later, despite the words his  
  
Youko aspect was screaming.  
  
/Ooo...hear that Shuichi? Hiei's going to be an adult sooner than you thought. So, you  
  
can drop all of that 'moral' crap you've been protesting with and fuck the lil' thing!/  
  
:SHUT UP! Damn, can't you ever think of something besides sex?!: Kurama retorted,  
  
fuming at the mere idea of claiming Hiei just because he was fully matured.   
  
He saw a quirk of a grin on Kura's face as the youkai nodded his head. The form of Kuronue  
  
began to fade, replaced by an entirely different, and totally unexpected, form. Kurama studied  
  
Kura for a moment, then the youkai returned to looking like a reflection of his late brother.   
  
"Thank you," Kurama hesitated as he walked up to the youkai, embracing him for an instant, then  
  
continued, "brother."  
  
Kurama stepped back slowly, removing his arms from Kura. The surprised expression was quite  
  
comical on Kura's usually emotionless face. "Why are you thanking me?" Kura asked, his azure  
  
eyes focusing on Kurama.   
  
"You trust me enough to show me your true face..." Kurama replied, trying his hardest to smile at  
  
the youkai. 'Maybe if we start over...I can at least get to know him better...and not dislike him so  
  
much...'  
  
"I trust you more than to just show my face..." Kura mumbled, cocking his head to one side.   
  
"You convinced me not to commit suicide...for that, I entrust my life to you..." Kurama's  
  
eyebrow lifted involuntarily as he studied Kura. "Are you familiar with how a soul separates from  
  
its body–of course you are." Kura shook his head at his own stupidity, a smile plaguing his face.  
  
"Why are you asking?"  
  
"You know about life shinju then?" Kura glared at the floor, his hands rummaging through the  
  
numerous pockets of his clothing. Kurama watched the erratic behavior of the youkai for a  
  
moment, nodding his head.   
  
"When a being leaves its body, instead of going to the Reikai, or entering a new body, they  
  
disappear because a soul can only live a day without its body...but in some cases, the soul remains  
  
in this plane of existence. It's very rare, nearly impossible because Mr. High-and-mighty Koenma  
  
and his father keep such close tabs on the dead, but those who can continue to live without their  
  
bodies...do you know what happens to them?" Kura glanced up at Kurama when he finished his  
  
rhetorical question.   
  
"For some reason, their soul solidifies into what is called a life shinju...but if the shinju is  
  
destroyed, then they no longer exist..." Kurama replied, inwardly wondering where Kura was  
  
taking this conversation.   
  
"Hai...exactly right. That's why almost everyone whose soul becomes a life shinju has someone  
  
to protect them, or has it hidden so that no one will ever be able to find it..." Kura smiled, pulling  
  
his hands out of his vest. He looked at Kurama sheepishly for a moment before he brought his  
  
hands to the back of his neck and unclasped a chain Kurama hadn't noticed was hanging around  
  
the youkai's neck until now. "I...it's not a traditional life shinju, but...within this is...everything..."  
  
Kura said quietly, lifting Kurama's hand and placing the heavy chain in his palm. "Everything...I  
  
am..."  
  
Kurama examined the small pendant that was attached to the silver chain. The piece of darkened  
  
silver was in the shape of a flame, but in the center of the fire was a blood red sphere. Kurama  
  
would have mistaken the sphere for a Koorime's tear gem if he didn't know what it already was.   
  
It was slightly larger than Hiei's tear gems, and unlike the Hiroseki (A/N: --;;; how do you  
  
spell that???) stones, it had a pearly luster instead of the glassy shine to the precious stones.   
  
"Why?"  
  
"If I am to survive in this dimension...I cannot know everything I do...I cannot be what I am  
  
now...and if I do die, then no other will be cursed with this power. I'll take the dream weaving  
  
abilities with me..." Kura answered quietly. "You now have the choice to kill me whenever you  
  
want, Youko." He smiled, placing his hands on his hips.   
  
"How do you know I won't kill you now? Or hand this over to Koenma to have -him- keep  
  
it?" Kurama asked, inwardly preening when he saw Kura's change in expression when Koenma's  
  
name was mentioned. His Youko side was quite proud that he had finally begun to understand  
  
Kura, and was quite shocked at how similar they were.  
  
"I told you, I trust you with my life...though I'm not quite sure why..." Kura looked up at the  
  
ceiling, pondering over that fact while Kurama tried to organize his own thoughts. "Just know  
  
this, Youko, the next time you see me, I won't recognize you...every single one of my memories,  
  
my emotions...are sealed in that shinju. Only if you explain everything to me, then return my  
  
shinju, will I ever remember...and I ask you not to make me know such things...unless you are  
  
forced to. It might sound selfish, but I don't want to live with such burdens on my shoulders..."  
  
Kura's voice faded to a mere whisper as he finished his comment. "This part of me now only  
  
exists within that shinju..." He turned to the window and smiled. "Hiei-san...I beg of you not to  
  
tell him."  
  
"Will you be like my Youko aspect, that I can hear your thoughts, or will I never speak to you  
  
again?" Kurama asked curiously. He had never heard of such a thing happening before, and  
  
couldn't help his kitsune nature.  
  
"I don't know for sure, but if you hear me, you'll know," Kura replied cheerfully as the form of  
  
Kuronue began to fade into the darkness of night. "Take care of Hiei-san." were the last words  
  
Kurama heard from Kura as the youkai disappeared. Kurama glanced down at the stone, noticing  
  
a slight glimmer in the sphere that he didn't see before and smiled.  
  
"I promise I will..."  
  
A/N: shinju means pearl, for anyone who was wondering...--;;; yeah, well...on to the rest of  
  
this chappie of mucho confusion! yeah, look at my Spanish! grins  
  
"Hiei, what are you doing?" Yukina asked, her eyebrow slightly lifted, when she saw her brother  
  
glaring from his seat in an overstuffed pillow across the room at the crib. She smiled, giggling  
  
softly as she moved over to the crib's side, gently lifting the tiny baby into her arms. She walked  
  
back over to Hiei and bent down, showing her brother the infant. "His name's Aisu...would you  
  
like to hold him?"   
  
Hiei's expression was quite humorous, a mixture of surprise and revolt. His gaze shifted from  
  
between Yukina and the baby quickly, at the same time 'hning' in a negative response. Yukina  
  
ignored his reply and gingerly laid Aisu into Hiei's arms, making sure her brother supported the  
  
youkai infant's head.   
  
Aisu stared up at Hiei curiously, then began giggling, his pudgy arms reaching for Hiei's face.   
  
Yukina couldn't help but laugh when Hiei jerked his head back quickly to avoid being touched by  
  
the baby. "I think he likes you, Hiei," Yukina said mockingly. She watched Hiei's face change  
  
from disgust to mild interest as the baby clutched one of his fingers, trying his hardest to stick  
  
Hiei's entire hand into his mouth. Hiei glanced up at his sister, oblivious to the toddler's plan, and  
  
glared at her for a moment. His glare turned to an absolute expression of aggravation when he  
  
felt Aisu bite down hard on his index finger. "I guess I should have told you he was teething..."  
  
Yukina bit her lip in an attempt to not laugh as Hiei fought the strong baby for his hand back.   
  
Aisu giggled hysterically, his other hand reaching for Hiei's face again, and this time was able to  
  
grab Hiei's nose, much to the fire youkai's annoyance. Yukina slowly left the room as Hiei began  
  
to battle the child in his arms, attempting to free himself from the demonic baby.  
  
Yukina swore that for a moment, as she was leaving the room, she heard Hiei chuckle.  
  
Authoress: I'm sooooo sorry for taking so long to write a new chapter...I really am! But that was  
  
quite cute! ;;;  
  
Kura: no, you're not! YOU LIAR!  
  
Kurama: leaves room, taking pocky sticks with him  
  
Authoress: NOOOOOOooooooooo!!!!!!! THOSE ARE THE ALMIGHTY POCKY STICKS  
  
OF...DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Hiei: Oo...  
  
Aisu: gnashes on Hiei's fingers  
  
Authoress: watches entertainment with a sadistic humor  
  
Koenma: quickly follows Kurama out of the room  
  
Authoress: Until next time, since I no longer care about reviews! throws tally of  
  
reviews for last chapter to the side AHAHAHAHAH (insane laughter) BYE  
  
BYE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	14. Wings

Authoress: OO kay, I'm currently listenin' to my all-time fav radio station, which for some  
  
reason that cannot be understood by humans, has changed to all '80's music...not that I mind. I  
  
love '80's songs...maybe that's why everyone in my school thinks I'm nuts...OO  
  
Kurama: hums along with Journey songs  
  
Hiei: stares at stereo speakers with rapt fascination  
  
Authoress: grins WHY HAVE YOU DONE THIS TO ME...98 point FIVE!!! smiles evilly  
  
KRZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!...sorry for that outbreak, truly am...Phil Collins doesn't help the mind...it  
  
only rots the whole ningen being...;;;  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own WKRZ, or the stereo I'm listening to...it's my sister's...and  
  
um...OMGAWWWWWDDDDD! jumps up and begins dancing I LUUUUUVVV This  
  
song!!!!!!! can't start a fire without a spark....hums dancin' the dark! OO glances around  
  
okay...I'll stop now...Gomen nasai...;;;;;;; continuing...I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho  
  
either...sniffle I wish I could...then Koenma would be...ALL MIIIINNNNEEEE!!!!! glomps  
  
deity  
  
/ Youko's thoughts /  
  
: Shuichi's thoughts :  
  
[ Kura's thoughts]  
  
hmm...OO...maybe I should forget about all that and just let you people guess who's  
  
talking...er...thinking...nah...I'll try it out for one chappie...  
  
Chapter Fourteen  
  
Kurama groaned as he stared at his alarm clock, which was had shattered the silence of the  
  
morning with its screeching. He half-heartedly tried to shut the thing off, but in the attempt  
  
pushed the clock to the floor. It landed with a loud bang, but remained silent afterwards.  
  
/You've got to get up, lazy./  
  
[He's right...you promised Yukina last night that you would go over to Genkai's temple. She  
  
sounded pretty worried...wonder what it's about...]  
  
Kurama crossed his eyes, vaguely remembering that conversation he had with Yukina over the  
  
phone. She wanted him to come over the night before, at nearly midnight, but Kurama was still  
  
sober enough to tell her he was beyond the point of 'designated.'   
  
:Why was I drinking last night?: Kurama asked the other two personalities, wondering if their  
  
minds were as blurry as his.   
  
Kura answered with one word, which made Kurama's memories come flooding back. [Hiei-san.]  
  
"You know where he is, don't you?" Kurama's head snapped up at the sound of that  
  
voice, his eyes widening as he stared at the papers he had been going through. He turned his head  
  
in the general direction of his window, caught completely off-guard when he saw the Koorime  
  
wasn't sitting on the windowsill, but on his bed. Hiei wasn't actually 'sitting,' he was lounging.   
  
Kurama knew better than to think the fire youkai's sexy pose was intentional, but couldn't help  
  
but get semi-aroused.  
  
The three voices agreed in unison that Kurama's view of Hiei was something that would  
  
be etched in Kurama's memory. For some reason, Hiei was topless, showing off his chest that  
  
had already begun to show the definition Kurama remembered. Hiei was propped up on  
  
Kurama's pillows, his right leg spread out across Kurama's bed, while his left was bent slightly at  
  
the knee. Kurama inwardly wondered if Hiei was actually comfortable with his legs so widely  
  
spread, but his Youko side asked why he cared when he got a full view of Hiei's crotch.  
  
"Hm? What did you say?" Kurama asked innocently, shaking any and all sexual thoughts  
  
from his head. He seriously couldn't remember what Hiei had asked, but the Koorime gave  
  
Kurama a glare that told him that Hiei thought he was ignoring the question.  
  
"Where is Kura?" Hiei asked, his red eyes searching the dimly lit room. He took a deep  
  
breath as he allowed his gaze to return to Kurama.  
  
"He–he's gone, Hiei. Just forget about getting revenge," Kurama replied, noticing the  
  
angered stare he received from Hiei for that statement. He thought for a moment, examining Hiei  
  
as he fought the urge to look at Hiei's lower body. "How did you get in here?" Kurama asked  
  
curiously, knowing that before, Hiei had jumped off a tree near Kurama's house or from the roof  
  
onto his balcony.  
  
"Hn. Ningen no baka," Hiei retorted, turning his head. He closed his eyes, shivering  
  
when he felt power coursing though every vein. Until this ordeal, Hiei had never appreciated his  
  
youki.  
  
Kurama furrowed his eyebrows, wondering if Hiei was cold when he saw the Koorime  
  
shiver, but then noticed the black mark running up Hiei's arm. As if he had been hit with a bus,  
  
Kurama felt the waves of unchecked youki coming from Hiei. In one moment, Kurama felt as if  
  
he was burning, but in the next instant was freezing. He couldn't remember a time when the  
  
Koorime was so powerful, or when the youkai was not warded or cloaking his energy. Hiei  
  
glanced back at Kurama and from the kitsune's expression, he could tell Kurama had finally  
  
noticed his youki.  
  
/.../ Kurama smiled inwardly, glad that for once, his Youko side was at a loss for words.  
  
[About time...I knew that this whole event would make Hiei-san stronger...but I  
  
didn't...imagine...] Kura trailed off, sending waves of surprise through Kurama.  
  
"Where is he, kitsune?" Hiei asked again, his red orbs promising that he wouldn't repeat  
  
himself. Kurama shook his head, inwardly hoping that Hiei still held him as a friend, and that that  
  
friendship wouldn't allow Hiei to kill him.  
  
"It wasn't his fault, Hiei, and you have your youki back," Kurama pointed out, images of  
  
torture and death racing through his mind. He had never seen Hiei so...calm. The Koorime's  
  
disposition disturbed him more than if Hiei was yelling, but Kurama knew that his surprise was  
  
only beginning.  
  
"I'm not going to kill you, kitsune, but forget that I ever called you an ally."  
  
Kurama stuttered, trying to think of something to retort, but the youkai's statement was  
  
enough to numb Kurama, both his body and his mind.  
  
/Oh, rejection!/ Youko exclaimed sadistically.   
  
[Don't listen to that jerk, Hiei-san's just going through a difficult time, he doesn't mean  
  
it!] Kura said hastily in hopes of comforting Kurama.   
  
"And if I ever see you again, you will only be a ningen in my way." Kurama knew from  
  
Hiei's deadpan tone that this was a promise of his death, if they ever met again. Kurama lowered  
  
his head into his hands, forcing himself not to show emotion just like Hiei was doing, but couldn't  
  
help his soft human emotions.   
  
"B-but..." Kurama sniffled, raising his head out of his hands only in time to see Hiei flitting  
  
off of his balcony. Hiei looked back at Kurama the instant before he leapt off of the manmade  
  
structure, and as his eyes met Kurama's, he growled, then he was gone.  
  
Kurama pulled his legs up to his chest, trying not to fall out of his swiveling chair, and  
  
buried his head into his knees. :Did he really want to kill Kura that badly?:  
  
/Talk about puttin' a little bit of salt on the open wound. You pissed him off enough to  
  
have him revoke your friendship, but that's not good enough for you, so you get him to give you  
  
a death threat! I have to congratulate you on that, Shuichi. Damn, I have yet to P.O. a lover that  
  
badly...they always come groveling in a few hours.../  
  
[Done yet?] Kura asked, the internal voice clearly angered. When Youko didn't reply, he  
  
took that as a 'yes,' so redirected his attention on Kurama. [Come on, Hiei-san just needs some  
  
time to himself...he should be back to normal in a few weeks...I think...]  
  
/You're really comforting him, you know that?/  
  
[At least I'm trying, unlike a selfish kitsune I know!]  
  
/Oh, you're just jealous that I've had more lovers than you could count, bat boy!/  
  
[Of course you have, you damn slut! I have only lived in the real world for a few years!!!]  
  
/Your fault, not mine.../  
  
:Shut up! Just shut up!!!: Kura and the Youko's argument silenced immediately, then they  
  
realized that while they were 'talking,' Kurama had been crying.  
  
[Give my shinju to Hiei-san, I'm not worth this...] Kura said quietly. Kurama felt a hand  
  
lift his head out of his knees and smiled weakly when he saw the transparent figure of Kuronue. [I  
  
know how much Hiei-san means to you...and I don't want him hating you...just because of me...]  
  
:No...this is Hiei and my problem...you're no longer part of it, Kura...:  
  
Kurama stared down at his hands as he sat up, immediately wishing he had remained lying down.   
  
His head seemed to be spinning as he slid out of the bed and half crawled/half stumbled to the  
  
bathroom to hurl whatever his stomach had the misfortune to contain at this moment.  
  
"Kurama! Are you drunk?" Were the first words out of Yusuke's mouth when he saw the kitsune  
  
walk onto the temple grounds. Yusuke was supposedly going to get Kuwabara for a meeting, but  
  
hadn't reached the bottom of the stairs when he caught sight of Kurama. The red-haired man  
  
glared at him, then shut his eyes as the sun came out from behind a cloud. "Hangover? I didn't  
  
think you drank..."  
  
"I don't," Kurama replied softly, his ears ringing as he tried to walk up the stairs without falling.   
  
With every step, that seemed to echo painfully loud in his head, he assured himself that he would  
  
fall on his face at least five or six times before reaching Yusuke.  
  
"What happened?" Yusuke asked, immediately noticing Kurama's saddened expression. "Hiei's  
  
gone missing–but I guess you already knew that..."  
  
"He and I...talked last night," Kurama answered, trying to firmly plant his feet on the steps, but if  
  
he didn't know any better, Kurama would have been sure the ground beneath him was moving.   
  
"Do you know what Yukina wanted?"  
  
"Aisu...his youki's flaring, he won't let anyone near him...and he's screaming...scared the shit out  
  
of me...sleeping peacefully, then waking up to that...I was going to get Kuwabara so he could see  
  
if he could do something. Yukina said you probably wouldn't be coming today, I guess she had  
  
an idea of what happened between you and Hiei..."  
  
"I told her I was dead drunk when she called, if that is enough of a hint..." Kurama replied  
  
sarcastically, surprising Yusuke. The Reikai Tantai had never heard Kurama lose his  
  
characteristic placidness, but he knew that the Koorime would be the only thing that could do this  
  
to his friend.  
  
"C'mon, I'll help you," Yusuke said as he leapt down the rest of the steps and began to gently  
  
lead Kurama up the rest of the stairs. "Jeez, how much did you drink?"  
  
"Well, considering I naturally have a high tolerance, then add that my Youko side gives me an  
  
even higher tolerance, and he's never gotten drunk before, quite a feat considering how much he  
  
drank..." Kurama stopped as they reached the top of the stairs. He stared around the temple's  
  
quiet grounds, and saw Yukina's head poking out of one of the numerous doors. She smiled at  
  
him and gestured for the two to come over to her.  
  
"Back already, Yukina," Yusuke stated jokingly as he let go of Kurama's arm, gently nudging the  
  
kitsune into the temple. "I'll be getting the idiot now, if anyone needs me."  
  
Yukina said a quick goodbye to Yusuke, then turned to look at Kurama. "Do you want me to get  
  
you something?" she asked, helping Kurama through the doorway. "There's a mixture of herbs  
  
that helps with hango-"  
  
"I'm a Youko, I know thousands of cures for hangovers...I deserve this..." Kurama retorted, only  
  
softening his voice when he realized Yukina was only trying to help. "Gomen, I didn't mean to  
  
snap..."  
  
"I understand. Hiei can easily put anyone in a bad mood without even meaning it..." Yukina  
  
replied knowingly. Kurama shook his head, then told her of the previous night's events as they  
  
walked through the temple towards Aisu's room, keeping his conversations to his Youko aspect and Kura to himself. "If you know where that Kura man is, why don't you tell Hiei?"  
  
[You can tell her...she already has a feeling...]  
  
"Kura contained as much of himself as he could without dying in a life shinju...he gave it to me,  
  
but promised me not to tell Hiei..." Kurama replied, receiving a gasp from Yukina. "I wouldn't  
  
have told Hiei even if he didn't tell me not to...I promised his brother to take care of him, and  
  
that's what I'm going to do..."  
  
"Is that it?" Yukina asked, pointing at an unfamiliar pendant around Kurama's neck. She couldn't  
  
sense anything unusual coming from it, but when she touched it, she sensed exactly what Kurama  
  
told her was in it. She gingerly lifted the heavy silver off of Kurama's collar bones and studied it.   
  
She had never seen a life shinju before and was quite surprised at how much it looked like a  
  
Koorime's tear.  
  
"What about Aisu? Yusuke kinda filled me in..." Kurama stated, glancing from Yukina to the  
  
shinju. "From what he said, it sounded like a tantrum...but..."  
  
"It isn't a tantrum...at one point I got close enough to give him a sedative, but he kept moaning in  
  
his sleep...I gave him painkillers...as much as I could without chancing his life...but nothing seems  
  
to work. Koenma told me that if we don't get him under control, he'll have to return him to the  
  
Makai...Aisu isn't strong enough to survive in the Makai!"  
  
Kurama thought over her report, trying to pull up everything he knew about bat youkai. Most of  
  
his knowledge was from Kuronue, but his lover hadn't gone into the childhood of his kind too  
  
often. He smirked when he realized what was wrong with the baby.   
  
"What is it?"  
  
"He's growing his wings. Kuro told me about it once. Their kind is born wingless, but in about  
  
three months, their wings...well...spurt. The only way to keep them under control is to have their  
  
parents stay with them," Kurama replied.   
  
"But, Aisu is an orphan," Yukina pointed out as she turned, leading Kurama down another  
  
corridor. "If he did have parents, they're most likely dead by now."  
  
"Well...bat youkai aren't attached to their biological parents...just the people who they trust the  
  
most. But the only other thing is that whoever they do trust has to trust them in return. If you  
  
flinch or try to back away from them, then their youki will attack you," Kurama stated. "It's a  
  
way of protecting themselves...more like a trap, if you don't know that youkai well enough..."  
  
"Could you try first?" Yukina asked hesitantly, glancing up at Kurama as she opened a door,  
  
where Kurama sensed a great deal of ki coming from.  
  
"Of course," Kurama replied, trying his best to smile as he entered the room and let his eyes  
  
adjust to the dim light.  
  
Authoress: I'm sorry about the cliffie...I've just been trying to update as quickly as possible...truly am...  
  
Yusuke: no, you're not...LIA'!  
  
Aisu: stares at Hiei with puppy eyes  
  
Authoress: um...I'd love to know what you people will think will happen next...and all that stuff... but, I no longer care about reviews...dances whoo, 14 chapters and this story's nowhere near done yet...maybe I should split it into two parts...hmmm...dunno... 


	15. Containment

Authoress: um...yeah...well, last chappie was really messed up, I know...GOMEN NASAI!!!!!..anyways...I promise this chapter will be long...--;;; I have nothing else to do...so I'll put as much time as I can in this chappie  
  
Yusuke: snorts nothing else to do? rolls onto the floor, laughing  
  
Authoress: glares okay...I'm kinda handicapped at the moment...--;;;;;;; I got into a bit of a scuffle with a rock and lost...;;; the dudes at the Emergency Room had fun sewing meh knee back together!  
  
Kurama: stares at bandaged leg Oo  
  
Authoress: count 'em, foxy boy! Nine!!! Well...seven to hold the skin togetha' and two to fix up the muscles in my knee...;; Yeah...it was interesting to see a cross-section of my knee...very weird...  
  
Koenma: begins to turn green OO dashes towards the bathroom  
  
Hiei: points and laughs  
  
Authoress: 've mastered the technique of not bending my right leg and still walk around...  
  
Kuwabara: walk? snort YOU WOBBLE!!!!!!  
  
Authoress: takes out note pad and begins to write a new Yaoi story So, Kuwabara...should it be Hiei...hm....or maybe...YUSUKE!?!?!?!?!? laughs manically  
  
Hiei/Yusuke: OO OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDD!!!!!!  
  
Kuwabara: runs in fear  
  
Disclaimer: Really...do you people -think- I own Yu Yu Hakusho?! --;; sighs if I did...I would...um...do things that shouldn't be mentioned in mixed sexual preference company...;;;  
  
Chapter Fifteen  
  
Kurama, going against the instincts screaming inside him, entered the room slowly, letting the waves of youki surround him. He could almost see the powerful energy, cautiously moving around his body, as if it was studying him from all angles. Kurama forced his body to move slightly, keeping his arms at his sides.  
  
He remembered all the things Kuro told him about this delicate time during the bat youkai's life,  
and realized he forgot to tell Yukina something, for the child to stop this 'tantrum,' there were two people needed. Kuro told him that he was his younger siblings' "caretaker" as the bat put it,  
and that the Yume was Kura's other, and visa versa. That bat youkai continued on his explanation, telling Kurama that the child took on their caretaker's characteristics, their looks,  
personalities, and other defining features. Kurama thought such a thing was strange, but he had heard of things even stranger, so he forgot about that topic, until today.  
  
Kuronue stressed that if Kurama ever had to be a caretaker, he needed to make sure that he, or the other person, always stayed near the child. "Why is that?" Kurama asked, glancing over at the youkai who had, yet again, brought up the topic of a bat youkai's childhood. He and Kuro had known each other for nearly a decade now, but lately, Kuro had been talking about children a great deal more.  
"Well, if both of the caretakers die, then that kid's alone...we hate to be alone...especially growing up. If you wouldn't have found me that day...when we first met...I probably wouldn't have lived much longer. We...we need another being near us, someone we can trust with our lives...our secrets..." Kuro trailed off, stretching himself across the mound of cushions he had been lounging on for the past half hour. Kurama eyed him for a moment, still curious as to why Kuro was bringing all of this up. 'He's been acting strange lately...I wonder why...' Kurama thought, still trying to gather the nerve to ask what was going on in Kuro's mind. "It...it pains us,  
both mentally and physically to not have someone to talk to, to have someone to love."  
Kurama's ears perked up as he grinned, pulling himself up from his sitting position against the cave's cold wall, and walked over to the youkai, immediately laying down next to Kuro. "Did you just say you love me?" Kurama asked softly, propping himself up on one arm to look down at Kuro.  
"Idiot, of course I love you!" Kuro retorted, lifting his head high enough to brush his lips against Kurama's brow. He couldn't help but blush slightly as he laid his head back down,  
realizing what he had just done. "Does that mean I have your consent?" Kurama questioned seductively, shifting his body so he was looming over Kuro, still supported by his right arm. Kurama hadn't ever known he had such willpower, until he met the youkai. When he first met Kuro, he hadn't thought much of the bat, but when he saw that Kuro was quite talented in thieving, he immediately took him in as part of his 'gang.' Kurama had watched the scrawny, malnourished bat slowly grow into a beautiful,  
soft-spoken, and very loyal addition to the group. Kurama had first felt a pang of desire towards Kuro when he 'accidentally' saw the bat bathing one day. Kuronue was singly the most gorgeous youkai he had seen, but he knew Kuro better than anyone else. Kurama had felt downcast for weeks, remembering how vehemently Kuro answered to the question about taking a lover. The bat seemed almost apprehensive to do so, but Kurama didn't know why...until he had cornered Kuro one night, nearly forcing himself on the nocturnal demon. Kurama almost lost his control, but regained it when he heard the youkai's protests. Once Kuro stopped shaking from the near-rape experience, he told Kurama he was still a virgin, and he would only have sex with the one he professed his love to. Kurama smiled down at the youkai beneath him, remembering that he called Kuro a 'destiny-believing moron' that night, but he had, slowly, realized that he wanted the demon more than anyone else. Within a few weeks after that night, Kurama became celibate, something that was nearly impossible for him to do. Kurama knew he would give up anything for the raven-  
haired demon, but his will-power was truly challenged when Kuro started to get close to him, talk to him almost every night before he took watch, before Kurama went to sleep. Lately, Kuro had become more comfortable with Kurama, allowing himself to drop all guard when he was around the kitsune. Kurama's patience, celibacy, and love for the youkai finally paid off when he heard those words come out of Kuro's mouth.  
"Um...K-Kurama...I-" Kuro never got the chance to finish that stammered sentence as Kurama's lips met his in a crushing kiss. The bat squirmed underneath Kurama for a moment,  
only stopping when Kurama removed his mouth from Kuro's. Kurama stared down at the demon's flushed face, glad he hadn't lost his ability to make someone speechless with a single kiss. 'Most of the time, that's not even necessary,' Kurama thought to himself proudly, letting his free hand trail along Kuro's jaw, tracing the youkai's beautiful face. "What's your answer, Kuro?"  
The bat stared at him for a moment, gasping for breath. Kurama had kissed him once before, but this time it was different, this time, he wanted Kurama to do it again. He tried to answer Kurama, but the words wouldn't come out, so he curtly nodded his head, inwardly wondering what he was getting himself into.  
Seeing that small gesture of agreement, Kurama nearly jumped up to do a victory dance,  
but, instead, sat up and smiled at the bat youkai. "Stay here a sec," he whispered, letting his hips grind against Kuro's for a moment, then stood up and quickly walked out of the quiet cave.  
Within a minute, Kurama was back on top of the demon, this time with much fewer clothes and a great deal more blushing on Kuro's part. When they were both on the brink of collapsing, Kuro asked what Kurama left for, and the youko grinned. "Kiss me and I'll tell you."  
The bat couldn't help but lift his head from Kurama's chest up to his mouth and gently pressed his lips against Kurama's, inwardly wondering how an innocent kiss could make his heart beat faster, make him nearly forget to breathe, and, even in such a state of exhaustion, make his lower body react. "I told someone else to take the night watch," Kurama replied softly, wrapping his arms around Kuro's body and gingerly massaged the demon's surprisingly soft wings. Kuro's face paled slightly when he heard Kurama's answer. "What is it?" Kurama asked, worried with the change in his lover's expression.  
"Everyone will know...what we've done..." Kuro answered quietly, his face warming as he laid it back down on Kurama's muscular chest. "Like they couldn't guess from all the noise you were making?" Kurama questioned,  
getting an embarrassed glare from the youkai. Kuro continued to shoot daggers at him until Kurama firmly grabbed the demon's muscular behind, which made Kuronue yelp in surprise. "Ready for another round?" Kurama asked, inwardly smirking when he felt his lover's answer pressing against his thigh. "I'll take that as a yes..."  
  
Those memories of Kuro, at one time, pained Kurama more than anything else, making him tear at times, others, making him snap at anyone and everyone. He hated being reminded of the only person who loved him for who he was, and who he loved in return, but after nearly a century,  
Kurama's heart had finally healed. He knew he would never forget, he would never let himself,  
but now that he had a chance to make amends with Kura, he could think about Kuro and smile,  
remembering how just one demon made his life worth living.  
  
He knew he took Kuro for granted while the bat was alive, but didn't acknowledge it until he stood besides Kuro's grave, with the mirror that took his lover's life in his hands. He went into a suicidal lifestyle after that, and eventually succeeded in having himself killed. While Kurama felt his body die, he knew that Kuro would hate him for what he had done. In an act of pure shame for what he had become, he entered the Ningenkai and entered the body of the unborn Minamino Shuichi.  
  
Now, after years of having the love of a mother, the friendship of everyone around him, and the kindness he never knew existed, Kurama wasn't ashamed to say he was falling in love again, but this time, he wouldn't be able to get Hiei to say he loved him. Not even on his deathbed, would Hiei ever utter such words, but Kurama had already realized that, and still loved the Koorime. Kurama continued to walk towards the origin of the youki, trying to shake those thoughts out of his head and replaced it with wondering who would be the second, if he was the first. 'It can't be Yukina...but who else has gotten close to Aisu?' Kurama wondered, breathing in relief when he realized he was already standing next to the child's crib.  
  
Aisu's crying had softened since he entered the room, but Kurama could still see that the child was in pain. Kurama gently laid his hand on Aisu's chest, immediately knowing that he wasn't the 'first,' but the second caretaker. The child's face was not different from the last time Kurama saw him, but Kurama could see the baby's hair was different. It now took a blue sheen and looked softer...more like fur than hair. Kurama could tell who the child had taken after, but didn't believe it until he saw Aisu open his large eyes.  
  
The child looked up at Kurama with those familiar eyes, eyes exactly like the one person who was least likely to become attached to the infant. He giggled, his arms waving for Kurama to pick him up, and, as Kurama lifted the small child out of the crib, his eyes widened. Right before his eyes,  
Aisu's obsidian hair became streaked with blood red, and his eyes became more slanted, like Youko Kurama's. /Hey, look at that...he looks like me/  
[Poor kid]  
/What's that supposed to mean/  
[Nothin'...Ugly]  
/Why I oughta/  
[Nani]  
:Are the two of you going to shut up anytime soon?: Shuichi asked, his eyes still fixated on the child's blood red orbs, which now did make the baby look more like the kitsune. Kurama gently laid the child's head on his shoulder as he pressed his fingertips against Aisu's spine,  
feeding his ki into the child.  
  
Aisu buried his head into Kurama's shirt, his small hands clutching the soft material, as Kurama's energy, a mixture of reiki and youki, entered the small youkai's body. He was surprised to see that Aisu's body was relaxing, as if he was somehow taking all the pain from the child. From his knowledge of youki, Kurama thought that doing such a thing would harm another being, but the child was actually benefitting from it. Kurama recounted all of his conversations with Kuro,  
again, and remembered that the bat had told him that growing one's wings was a long and very bloody experience, something no one would want to go through twice. Kurama shifted the child in his arms, but kept his hand on the baby's back, continuing to feed his energy into Aisu. Kurama found that the more energy he gave the child, the more relaxed Aisu seemed. He glanced up from the child when he heard someone whisper his name.  
"Kurama...what did you do?" Yukina asked softly from the doorway of the dim room.  
"I'm not quite sure..." Kurama replied, walking closer to Yukina. "We're in for quite a day..." He commented quietly, looking down at the child who was now asleep in his arms.  
  
"What's all this about, Koenma?" Kuwabara asked between yawns, only moving from his laying position on a futon to grab for a bottle of water.  
  
"Yeah, I mean, not for nothing, I have to sleep!" Yusuke stated, glaring at the deity out of a half-  
opened eye. "It's already past midnight."  
  
"Like you don't stay up past then?" Koenma retorted. He, like the others, had already begun to feel the effects of staying up so long. "Anyways...as I was saying before Kuwabara interrupted me...we have to make a decision about that youkai baby. There's rumors of a war brewing in the Makai...and that's the last place I would want to send him, but at the same time, my father's breathing down my neck...he wants Aisu out of the Ningenkai immediately..."  
  
"You can't seriously believe we'd let him go back to the Makai!" Yusuke pointed out. He had discovered that he, like everyone else on the team, had developed a soft spot towards the orphaned youkai.  
  
"We could have his youki contained until he is old enough to control it...that way, he won't be a danger to humanity," Kurama suggested from the open doorway. Yusuke and Kuwabara whirled around to stare at the red-head, surprised that neither one of them sensed him there.  
  
Kuwabara furrowed his eyebrows for a moment, noticing that Kurama's energy was dangerously low, but the kitsune looked fine, just slightly tired. "Could we do that?" Yusuke asked curiously,  
glancing from his youko friend to Koenma. "I mean, would your father allow that?"  
  
"He should...if the boy has no youki, then there is no reason to make him return to the Makai..."  
Koenma said thoughtfully. "But, if he doesn't have use of his youki when he's young, who's to say he'll ever be able to control it? He's already a B-class youkai, and he's only a few months old..."  
  
"If you think he won't be able to control his youki when he gets older, we won't return it to him,"  
Kurama replied. "Then again, containment like that is very unstable...near death experiences or times of heightened emotional trauma could break it..."  
  
"We'll vote...everyone in favor for Kurama's idea..." Yusuke stated, immediately raising his hand. Kuwabara quickly followed the black-haired Reikai Tantai, but Koenma and Kurama were hesitant. "C'mon, you two...if we let him back into the Makai, he'll surely die...I thought Yukina said you're going to be the closest thing he has to a parent, Kurama...and you, Koenma...would you send an innocent baby like that to his death?"  
  
"Fine...I'll go look up on youki containment..." Koenma replied, standing up from his chair. "I'll be in the Reikai if you need me..."  
  
Kurama watched as the toddler disappeared, then sighed. "It isn't that easy, Yusuke...the methods of youki containment were banned a thousand years ago...by Koenma himself...because they are very unpredictable...and for someone with Aisu's potential, we would need a great deal of energy to create it..."  
  
"What's the containment thing like? He just loses everything, or what?" Kuwabara asked curiously, glancing over at Kurama.  
  
"Think of the container as a black hole, sucking in every ounce of a certain youki out of a demon,  
without killing them...it is literally a tear in dimensions, created by a great deal of energy,  
programmed specifically for that sole youkai. It takes time to create, but the most powerful...successful containment was on a D-class youkai...I believe King Yama himself created it...and used all of his power..." Kurama trailed off, not wanting to sound even more pessimistic about the plan.  
  
"Successful?" Yusuke repeated questioningly.  
  
"Hai...if one single thing is off, if something unexpected happens, it would kill everyone within a thousand kilometer radius..." Kurama replied. "If he wasn't such a powerful demon, it wouldn't be a problem..."  
  
"So, why did you suggest it?" Kuwabara questioned, sitting up and examining Kurama. He noticed that the kitsune was about ready to fall over from exhaustion. "Why don't you sit down for a while? I mean, Yukina can take care of Aisu..."  
  
"I guess you're right, Kuwabara..." Kurama said, walking into the room and sitting down in the chair Koenma was in a minute ago. Kuwabara and Yusuke watched as Kurama dozed off fairly quickly, almost the exact instant he sat down.  
  
"If this kid's such a problem...why doesn't Koenma take him to the Reikai?" Kuwabara asked.  
  
"Because, baka, the Reikai is the -human- afterlife, Kurama and Hiei are the only demons I've ever seen there...and it's not exactly like they were invited to live there..." Yusuke replied. "I guess King Yama really doesn't like youkai...but if we can pull this off...we'll have a great Reikai Tantai to take over for us when he gets older..."  
  
"Yeah...he probably would be able to take care of any and all problems..." Kuwabara agreed. "Urameshi...this might sound strange...but, before...when Yukina told us that Aisu was stable...I could feel Hiei's youki...but...it was...warped."  
  
"What do you mean?" Yusuke asked. Kuwabara hesitated, staring down at the bottle of water in his hands for a minute before answering the man across from him.  
  
"I mean, that when I felt his youki...it wasn't exactly Hiei's...but really close. It was as if...well...that youki was created from Hiei's....and Kurama's...."  
  
"Duh, idiot...didn't you hear a thing Yukina said? Both of their youki are what stabilized Aisu...moron," Yusuke retorted, rolling his eyes at the orange haired ningen.  
  
"No, I know that...it's just...well, those are who's energies were strongest. I also felt yours...mine...and, strangely enough, I think I sensed Jin and Touya's for a second. All of our energies were all weird..."  
  
Kurama looked from Yusuke to Kuwabara, inwardly telling the two demons in his mind to remain silent for a few minutes. "What do you think Kurama?" Yusuke asked curiously, glancing over at the quiet youko. Kurama shrugged his shoulders, immediately making Yusuke supicious, but didn't get the chance to ask the red-head about it. Koenma burst into the room so suddenly, no one had the chance to react before he went into a detailed explanation.  
  
"Father was in a very good mood and agreed to the containment, under one condition..." were the only words the three Reikai Tantai could pick up from Koenma's rushed speech. Yusuke looked at his boss curiously, his eyes asking what the condition King Yama said was. "His youki is to be permantly contained and Aisu is never to know he's a demon."  
  
"NANI?!" Were the first words coming out of Yusuke's mouth, followed by an angry retort. "And how do you expect to hide the fact he's a demon from him?"  
  
"He'll be forced into a human form..." Kurama commented quietly from his seat near Kuwabara. /Ooo...harsh...never knowing he's a demon/  
[I say do it, there's no other way he'll survive]  
:But...it's cheating him...doesn't Aisu deserve to one day know who...what he is:  
[If I were him, I'd rather live than be a powerful demon and be a danger to everyone around me]  
/For once I have to agree with the moron/  
[-Moron?- I beg your pardon, fuzz ball]  
/ooo...you're gonna get it one day, Scaley/  
[Oh, that's original]  
"Let's do it..." Kurama's words broke the silence that had enveloped the four men. Koenma nodded his head slowly, as if he were dreading it. Kuwabara sighed, performing the same motion as the deity.  
  
"Yusuke?" Koenma glanced over at the motionless detective who was deep in thought.  
  
"Fine, but what do we have to do?" Yusuke asked, gazing from Koenma to Kurama.  
  
"We need to get some powerful demons..." Koenma replied sarcastically. "Only youki will create the tear...and the youki needs to be far greater than Aisu's level now. Then we have to find a place where we can create the containment...incase something does go wrong..."  
  
"If something goes wrong...we die, right?" Kuwabara piped up from his chair, feeling useless since he obviously couldn't help create the tear.  
  
"Hai." Kurama's grim response made Yusuke lift an eyebrow. The Reikai Tantai knew Kurama knew something, but what exactly, he couldn't even begin to guess.  
  
Authoress: sorry about the short chappie...but I've been lazy, and my buddies hounded me into writing something new...so here it is SAM!!! glares daggers  
  
Yusuke: what is Kurama hiding? TELL MEEE!!!!  
  
Kurama: sneaks out of the room  
  
Authoress: until next time...sayonara...and I think it's totally obvious what's going to happen...but that's just me...please review!!!!!!!!!! ; 


	16. Returning

Authoress: I'm so sorry for not updating in forever…but I had this really long chappie written out months ago…actually typed up…and my damned floppy from hell ate it…/cries/ so now I'll just have to rewrite it as best as I can remember…/grins evilly/ there's one part I DO remember in detail…

Hiei:…

Authoress: yep, that's right…our first real lemon between the fire youkai and Kurama…/does a celebratory dance/ so, that's a warning to those who wish not to read it…and that…since I'm a little lazy…I'm going to be skipping ahead to the good parts now…I'd say…'bout five years…yep…no offense to Aisu, but he's not part of the main pairing…so…I'll have to write a sequel…and explain everything then…

Kura: and what about me!

Disclaimer: I own nothing…except for Kura and Aisu…and a few other characters…but they weren't very important…anyways…Yu Yu Hakusho isn't mine…I wish it was…it'd be a wonderful day for Yaoi if I did…and as a reminder

:Shuichi:

/Youko/

Kura

Chapter Sixteen

/Can you believe the kit's already five/

You seem proud for the one who always is calling him a menace…

/…he pulled my tail when I came out that once/

And? He doesn't even know I exist!

/…lucky him…/

:You two are having a pleasant conversation:

Did you _hear_ what that kitsune said to me?

:Hai, I heard…:

Why is he so mean to me, Kurama?

/Because you're an idiot/

…teme…

/…baka…/

"Tou-san?"

"Ohayo, Aisu," Kurama said softly, turning to look at the boy. He smiled when he saw the child, his black hair still sticking up from rolling around in his bed all night. Kurama chuckled as he watched Aisu sit down at one of the kitchen table's chairs, trying to flatten his hair out. "Happy birthday," Kurama stated as he walked over to the boy and set a plate of pancakes-Aisu's favorite-in front of the boy.

"I'm five!" Aisu exclaimed, smiling at his father. "Does this mean you're gonna let me go visit Kuwabara-jii-san…you said you would let me spend a week there when I got older!" The little child bounced in his chair, his green eyes staring up at Kurama hopefully. The kitsune nodded his head and chuckled as the ball of energy flew into the air with a 'yahoo.'

/Funny how that little brat loves Yukina so much…and that idiot too…/

He loves everyone…he just hardly sees them since they live so far away

:Do you think we should go today:

/hai/

"Do you want to go to Genkai's today?" Kurama asked Aisu as he sat down in a chair next to the adorable child and watched him eat the tower of pancakes, vanilla ice cream, and-something Kurama could never understand-cheese wiz.

/How doesn't he get sick from eating that/

You spoil him too much

/Make him eat some vegetables…or something/

:You two sound like parents..hehe..:

We kind of are

/For once, I agree with the bat/

"HAI!" Aisu replied, nearly choking on his 'breakfast,' if it could be called that, and smiled. "I wanna go visit little Suya…" The boy wiggled in his chair and puffed out his cheeks. "Kaiwaii!"

Yukina's daughter is pretty adorable

/…he's finally becoming sensible…/

:So you think she's cute too…ha, two times you agreed today…it must be the end of the world:

yep

/guess so/

"Okay, just finish you breakfast and take a sho-" Kurama watched as the child flew from his chair out of the kitchen. He laughed to himself as he heard the thundering of feet up the stairs, quickly followed by the familiar sounds of the shower running.

"He's too energetic for me…" Kurama thought out loud, picking up the boy's dish-which was amazingly clean. Quickly washing the dishes, Kurama headed to the phone and called Yukina. Kuwabara answered, ecstatic upon hearing they were coming for a visit. Then, just to waste more time, little Suya was put on the phone, who had finally learned how to annoy her father to no ends. Kurama chuckled as she giggled on the other side of the line, calling her father 'baka.'

/\\

"Konnichiwa, Kurama-kun!" Yukina called, waving at the two figures approaching the temple. Suya was bouncing at her side, pointing at Aisu. The little half-demon kept whispering her 'cousin's' name to Yukina, who nodded her head. The two children hadn't seen each other in months, during which time Aisu had grown quite a bit.

"AISU-NII-CHAN!" Suya yelled, launching herself at the giggling boy when they were only a few feet away. The two-year-old's orange head didn't even reach Aisu's chest, but the boy was thrown to the ground by the girl's glomp.

"Hi, Yukina," Kurama said, setting down two suitcases. "Gomen about the short notice…Aisu insisted he come and visit Suya."

"It's alright…she hasn't sat still since Kuwabara told her. He's still upstairs trying to recuperate…no one can keep up with her anymore…" Yukina trailed off, looking down at her hands. Kurama could guess what she was going to say-just like Hiei.

"Tou-san?" Aisu's high-pitched voice made the two adults turn to look at the pair of children. Yukina smiled when she saw the boy, with her daughter on his back, bouncing around the temple's grounds.

"Hai?"

"Can we go play in the woods?" Aisu asked, looking up at his father and Yukina. "Pleeeeaaase?"

"If it's alright with Yukina," Kurama replied, sighing. He looked at the woman, quickly moving to her side when he saw her wince in pain. "Are you alright?" The demon held her rounded abdomen and shook her head. "Aisu, go get Kuwabara and take Suya with you."

/\\

/Two hours…that was a quick labor/

Suya was what…five?

/Six, wasn't it/

No, definitely five…it was when Kuwabara was on that mission with Urameshi and they didn't get back until midnight…

/Right…so five and a half/

You just can't admit I was right, can you?

:You two sound like a married couple:

"The three of you are talking about something, I take it?" Yukina asked softly, her voice still weak from the day's events. Kurama looked up from his hands to the beaming mother and nodded.

"They were arguing over how long you were in labor with Suya," he replied, smiling. "They can't decide if it was five or six hours…"

"Five," Yukina replied with a chuckle. Guessing from the expression on Kurama's face, her answer had begun an entirely new argument between the two residing demons. The kitsune rolled his eyes-probably at something Youko said-then looked back at Yukina.

"He's still saying he was right…" Kurama stated quietly, placing his head in his hands. "They're so annoying sometimes…it was a record today…they agreed twice…"

"He's adorable…" Yukina commented, somewhat randomly, as she looked down at the blankets in her arms. The tiny pair of red eyes that looked up at her closed slowly in fatigue. Kurama looked at Yukina and realized she must be exhausted as well.

"I should probably get Aisu and Suya to bed," Kurama said, wondering if Kuwabara was done telling Yusuke about his son…the ningen was on the phone with his friend for the past half hour, boasting that the newest edition to the family could beat Yusuke to a pulp without even trying. He got up and slowly left the room, making sure he didn't make any noise. As he reached the door, he felt a very familiar presence-something he hadn't felt in years-leave the room.

/Did you feel that/ Youko asked as soon as they had closed the door to Yukina's bedroom.

It couldn't have been.

/But I'm sure it was/

But why would he want us to know that he was there?

/I don't know/

:Why was Hiei here:

/\\

Authoress: yep…CLIFFIE!…I'm so sorry for not updating in forever! …/cries/ but now that's school's out for the summer, I have nothing but free time!

Hiei//glares/

Authoress: I know I said in my beginning rant that there'd be a lemon or something this chappie…but things are turning out differently…now I've got a new idea in meh head…but I'm thinking most likely next chapter!

Kurama//stares/

Youko: ABOUT TIME!

Kura: I'd have to agree…

Authoress: well, well…three times in one chappie…it's a scary thing…until the next chapter! AUF WIEDERSHIEN…/stares for a moment/ is that how you spell it?…I dunno…but I need to learn German quick…I'm a-going over there later this summer…and some of those words are just plain hard to write…even harder to say…/cries/ UNTIL NEXT TIME!


	17. Oyasumi

Authoress: oh, my god…I am sooo sorry everyone. I was just flipping through my profile and I clicked on my "If Dreams Could Come True" story…I didn't realize that I never finished it/cries/ so, I will now (almost a year later…gomen!)

Kurama: …do you even remember what was happening?

Authoress: that's why I've just finished rereading the whole story…hehe…

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho (oooh, that feels weird to write after I've been on my Naruto fanfic binge for so long…and before that…it was Inuyasha…)

Chapter Seventeen (woah…this'll bring back old memories…)

between slashes: Youko's thoughts  
**Bold:** Kura's thoughts  
_Italics:_ Shuichi's thoughts

Kurama sighed as he closed Aisu's bedroom door, hesitantly waiting to let the latch close. It had taken him three hours to get the boy wired down enough to get him in pajamas-and another hour before Aisu had started falling asleep. The boy had been so excited after Yukina had her second child that he hadn't wanted to leave Genkai's temple. The only thing that convinced Aisu that he needed to leave was when Yukina (using her soft 'reprimanding' voice-which was closer to a normal, speaking voice for normal people) had told him the baby needed to sleep. Aisu grumbled over that until the Koorime promised that he could come back in a few days for a week-long visit. Kurama didn't even have a choice in the matter, so he simply agreed to whatever Yukina said. He didn't want to cross the woman-poor Kuwabara had seen the results of doing so before…and the rest of their gang knew better after seeing how the orange-haired ningen cowered for weeks after that. With the barest of _clicks_, he closed the door completely and started walking back towards his own room, a smile on his feminine face.

/The new kit is cute…/

**He bit Kuwabara…you've all but made love declarations to the baby…**

/I'm not going to wait eighteen years before I'm legally allowed to stalk the brat…I'm more for instant gratification, thank you very much/

**Perv.**

/Takes one to know one, Bat-boy/

Kurama bit back a snort, not wanting to give Aisu a reason to wake up again. He bowed his head, trying to contain his laughter until he got into his own bedroom and had the door closed. Once the door was shut, Kurama snickered. The pair of demons had become, more or less, a bickering couple in the past five years spent together cooped up in the body of Minamino Shuichi. Now they usually only started up with each other when they were bored out of their minds and had nothing better to make fun of. After five years, Kurama had become quite proficient in blocking out their conversations (which usually took a perverse turn after a few quick comebacks bounced back between the pair).

He smiled as he rested his head against the door's heavy wood. It was amazing to think that Aisu-the tiny little demon who had caused so many problems with Koenma's father and the Ningenkai-was the same boy that was, in all senses of the term, a genius who had already declared he would become the greatest scientist to ever exist. Even King Yama had been slightly surprised when he heard that statement. The man had always thought Aisu would harbor some demonic tendencies, even though he was, in all aspects, an average ningen. In the five years since he had been stripped of his youki, not once had Aisu had any 'incidents.' There wasn't a single accident that made the boy's demonic abilities come flying back to him. Kurama was slightly proud of that fact. He always, against his better judgment, thought that it was _possible_ that Aisu could lose it one day and all of the hard work Yomi, the Horny Doom's son, and Youko had put into that containment would be for nothing. But, five years had passed without a glitch.

Kurama still feared how Aisu would take puberty. It was supposed to be the most challenging of times for a ningen, but if the boy could have adapted to a life without youki when he was a baby, Kurama knew his fears were built on 'what if' situations. They wouldn't necessarily come to pass, but if they ever did…the redhead had already worried about them enough for a lifetime.

/Oi, kit…if you don't stop hitting your head against the door, people are going to think you've lost your mind…/

For a moment, Kurama wondered exactly _who_ Youko meant by 'people,' since the two demons were the only ones able to see Kurama's actions (and they knew he was laying very close to the thin line between sanity and insanity). It was then he noticed a very different presence.

"Hn…" Kurama spun around and was surprised to see a black cloaked figure lounging across his windowsill-like his uninvited guest had done so many times before so many years ago. It had been five whole years since Kurama had been blessed enough to see the demon and knew that the wait was far more than worth it.

The cloak wasn't the old, billowing piece of material Kurama had grown accustomed to. The article that was currently draped haphazardly across muscular shoulders somehow seemed to cling in all the right places, showing off well-built arms and a broad chest that was being covered from view by a blood-red shirt that must have been made out of the same material the cloak was, from the way it hugged his powerful body. Even the black pants he wore seemed to touch the demon's skin with a possessive quality. Kurama never wanted to be material so badly in his entire life.

The demon shifted slightly, turning so that he was facing Kurama and the redhead found himself being captured in a pair of gracefully thin eyes. Five years had removed the roundness of the youkai's face, giving him more angular features that seemed to be alluring than his beautiful body that was hardly hidden by his layers of clothes. Currently, he was sprawled across the wide windowsill, one leg propped up so that he could lean against his knee as his eyes remained locked on Kurama's. His other leg hung down, his booted foot touching the floor where, at one time, it only hung halfway down. That small observance on the definite height difference made Kurama smirk while the two voices in his head were, for once, silenced.

**…**

/…/

**…speechless, Fuzzy?**

/Iie…totally turned on…/

"H-Hiei…" Kurama whispered as his eyes took in the sight before him. Somehow, in the five years he had been absent from the redhead's life, the small demon…well, he was no longer a _small_ demon-in those five years, Hiei had definitely changed. In the opinion of the Youko, it was a very, _very_ good change.

"Hn…" was the black haired intruder's reply as he gracefully slipped off of the windowsill and took a step towards the (near) speechless man. Kurama didn't know what to do-since Youko was still flabbergasted and Kura wasn't going to be much help in his amazed state-so he stepped back and found his back flush against the door.

"H-Hiei…it's been a while…" Kurama gulped, forcing himself to not stammer. The fire demon wasn't exactly keeping his distance as he continued to walk towards Kurama, a glint in his eye that was neither desire or hatred, the latter being what Kurama had expected after how he had left things with the ex-Reikai Tantai. He had refused to tell the (then) small demon where Kura was…and Hiei left. No one had seen him since then-well, except for Yusuke and Koenma since they had to deal with the Makai lords. Kurama bit back the urge to smile when he remembered that about two years ago, the Urameshi had told him Mukuro had finally stepped down as her role as a Ruler of the Makai-and Hiei had taken her place. Other than that, Kurama hadn't heard anything about Hiei in five years. He had asked Yusuke to refrain from talking about the half-Koorime when he was around. It was something Kurama wanted to forget and sought to keep hidden from Aisu. If the boy ever heard about Hiei, Kurama was afraid he might remember something about his life before his youki had been stripped-and that would have led to many complications that Kurama and his adopted son didn't need in their lives.

"Five years…" Hiei replied to Kurama's comment, his voice making it sound like he didn't really care. Kurama could see another emotion in the youkai's red eyes. Hiei seemed to be almost _surprised_ at his own statement, as if he hadn't realized until now how long it had really been. For a moment, Kurama wondered if the red-eyed demon knew how _different_ he looked from Kurama's point of view. With his hair grown out longer, yet still spiked up into the hairstyle that defied all laws of gravity, new earrings glimmering from either side of his head, his features matured, his _size_…

Hiei was still far enough away that Kurama couldn't reach out and touch him (as if he could in the state of shock he was currently in), but the youkai was close enough for Kurama to see that Hiei was at eye-level with him. It wasn't just his height that had changed, Hiei's shoulders had broadened and his entire body had filled out. It left Kurama looking at one large piece of eye candy. He wasn't going to lie to himself-Hiei had become even more attractive in his years spent in the Makai. If it was enough to silence Youko for this long, there certainly was something about the demon that was fascinatingly different. The looks weren't even a fraction of the change Kurama could see in Hiei. All those years spent in the Makai had an unusual effect on Hiei. One would assume that five years spent among bloodthirsty demons would leave a person bitter-or even evil themselves. Hiei, though, looked more contented than Kurama had ever seen him and there was a peacefulness in his red eyes that had never been there before.

/He's…grown up…/

**You sound almost sentimental, Furry…**

_:But why is he here:_

Kurama let a small smile grace his lips, hoping Hiei wasn't wondering if Kurama had lost his mind in these five years. He had just been standing there, staring openly at his friend (probably with his mouth gaping open), without saying anything. Then again, what could he have possibly said to Hiei? 'Nice to see you'? 'It's been a while'? Even 'You look good' seemed ridiculous to say to the _man_ approaching him. Hiei wasn't the same person Kurama _used to_ know, so Kurama was at a loss of words as Hiei came into touching distance. "…H…" Kurama couldn't even form a full syllable, his throat constricting as Hiei came close enough Kurama could feel heat radiating off of him.

"Kurama…" he whispered so softly, Kurama could hardly hear him. Kurama found himself so captivated by Hiei's eyes that he didn't understand what exactly it was that Hiei had said until the Koorime's eyes took on a curious look. He raised a dark eyebrow and Kurama snapped out of the enchantment he had been under.

"…H-Hiei…!" Kurama backed up even further into his bedroom door, making the door slam loudly as he yelled out. Any attempts he had of keeping Aisu asleep had just been shattered in one instant. The Koorime then did something that had Kurama nearly pass out from the astonishment. He brought up a hand and touched Kurama's face. It wasn't in any suggestive manner, just a fleeting caress of nails and fingertips against Kurama's cheek. Even though it wasn't meant to be arousing, it made every hair on Kurama's body stand up on end as he shifted closer to Hiei's warm hand. The youkai smirked, bringing his face close enough to the redhead's that Kurama could feel, as well as hear, Hiei's shaky breaths.

/…he's going to kiss you/

**Hiei-san wouldn't!…would he?**

/Of course he would! Shuichi _isn't_ half bad, for a ningen…and being a container for me, he'll be sexy to all demons/

**You have a very high self esteem, Fuzzy…**

/It's the truth/

**_Right_…and I'm as straight as Kuwabara…**

/Maa, it's not my fault you like it hot and heavy with guys/

**So do you!**

/Oi, I like females every now and again/

**Only when there's no good guys around…**

_:…:_ Kurama was getting a headache from the pair as he let Hiei continue to touch his face in light strokes, gasping softly when Hiei hit a particular spot that made shivers run down the redhead's back. Kurama unconsciously brought his face closer to Hiei's. He didn't realize what he had done until he felt something softer than Hiei's hand touch his lips in one exhilarating motion.

**…**

/…/

Kurama smiled when he heard the pair were silenced by Hiei's actions. He let his head drop closer to the demon, a small part of him wanting to smirk slightly when he realized he _still_ was taller than the youkai, if only by a hairsbreadth. Kurama pressed his lips softly against the Koorime's, catching Hiei by surprise. The youkai jerked back slightly, but not enough to break contact with Kurama.

The kitsune decided to push his luck as he brought one arm to encircle Hiei's waist and rest his palm on the small of the youkai's back. He gently pulled Hiei closer to himself so that their bodies were almost touching. The Koorime's body was so warm against Kurama's as the redhead moved against Hiei's mouth, his tongue brush tentatively against Hiei's full lips. Hiei took a gasp of breath in response, but didn't pull away like Kurama was expecting him to.

The redhead continued to graze his tongue along Hiei's slightly parted lips, waiting until the Koorime voluntarily opened his mouth wider. At that point, Kurama couldn't stop himself from slipping into that warm cavern, his tongue tracing its way to Hiei's. The youkai gasped softy when their tongues met, his breathing becoming mere pants as Kurama played with him, touching the Koorime in such a way Hiei unknowingly moved closer to Kurama in order to have more contact with him. When Kurama felt the youkai's body brush against his own, he tightened his grip on Hiei's waist and pulled Hiei close enough to feel every curve of the demon's body through their combined layers of clothes. He could even sense the demon's quick heartbeat speed up even more as Hiei shyly returned the caresses, quickly becoming more aggressive in his movements.

Kurama couldn't help but moan softly when Hiei started to dominate the kiss, gently biting Kurama's lower lip. It wasn't a hard enough nip to draw blood, but did send a jolt of pain though the redhead. He didn't pull back, but smiled at Hiei's actions. He had somehow received Youko's fetishes, especially when it came to pain like this.

/Oh, god…that was sexy…/

**Hiei-san…_bit_ Kurama! That's going to leave a mark!**

/_And your point _being/

Kurama chuckled as he listened to the two demons begin bickering over kissing techniques (most of Youko's ideas being very arousing and Kurama was sure to burn those to memory for usage one day). Hiei pulled away when he heard the redhead laugh, wondering if he had done something wrong. Kurama sensed Hiei's apprehension, so he quickly kissed his Koorime, being so forceful in his attentions, Hiei was left stunned-and very aroused.

The pair jumped apart when they heard a high-pitched giggle. Hiei, blushing furiously, tried to look anywhere _but _the kitsune while Kurama surveyed the room and found himself staring at his adopted son in amazement. The chibi redhead was leaning against the windowsill with a smile on his face.

/You were against the door…how did he get _in_/

**The window?**

_:It's three stories up and there're no balconies…:_

"Tou-san!" Aisu exclaimed in the middle of his fit of giggles, his grin showing off the boy's missing front teeth. Kurama couldn't stay mad at _that_-slightly perturbed about _how_ exactly his son got into his room, but not angry at the boy especially since the two demonic spirits were so proud of the kid.

/He's just like me/

**I hope not…**

/What's that supposed to mean, Bat-Boy?

"How did you get in, Aisu?" Kurama asked, knowing that the boy had to have something hidden up his sleeve since there were no nearby windows, tree branches, or anything else for Aisu to jump from. The boy smirked and, from Kurama's point of view, it looked positively devious. There was no doubt about it, Aisu had done something he was proud of-that the redhead didn't know anything about.

"…the window…it was open," Aisu replied innocently, as if the answer was obvious. Kurama, in the five years of tending to the cute boy, had perfected his mothering glare and was glad he had done so as he gave Aisu _the look_. The boy pouted for a moment, then clasped his hands behind his back as he pushed away from the ledge. "…I jumped…"

"…_jumped_?" Only people with special abilities, like the Reikai Tantai would have been able to complete such a leap and, even then, Kurama slightly doubted if they would be able to do it without help. Aisu had no ki to speak of and had never knew of he Reikai Tantai's existence, so he obviously didn't know what he was implying. _:He had someone help him…but…who:_

"…un! Hiei-sensei taught me to jump…It took me a few tries to reach your window, though…" Kurama's eyes widened as he looked at his son, noticing the grass stains on the knees of Aisu's pajamas. He then turned to glare at the Koorime who was trying his hardest not to smirk proudly.

"_Hiei…"_

/…the brat knows Hiei…how/

**…he said _sensei_…so Hiei must have been teaching him something…**

"…he needed to know how to defend himself…" Hiei stated calmly as he gave Kurama a challenging glare. Kurama knew better than to fight with Hiei-especially when the fire demon knew he was right. With a sigh, he let it go, but not without giving Hiei a glare.

"…Tou-san…why were you kissing Hiei-sensei…" Said youkai's face flushed, as did Kurama's, at Aisu's naïve question. The boy looked from one man to the other, an absolutely evil thought coming to his 'innocent' mind. "You were going to do adult things with Hiei-sensei and make babies, weren't you, Tou-san!"

/…did I just hear…what I think I did…/

**…yep…Kurama's mind just flew out his ear…**

/…not _that_, baka…I meant the brat…/

"…ha…" Kurama couldn't help but laugh at his son's comment. This went so far beyond embarrassment, Kurama couldn't even blush properly. "…Ex_cuse_ me?" Yep, he had the intelligence of a genius and that was the best he could come up with as he watched Aisu grinning at them. The boy must have been spending too much time around Yusuke…that man was the only person who could pervert a five year old. Kurama was going to have to have a long-_painful_-chat with his old team leader.

"That's where babies come from, isn't it?" Aisu cocked his head to the side, raising an eyebrow. Hiei, still unable to do anything but twitch slightly as his face erupted in red, stared at Kurama's bedroom door and took deep breaths in attempts to control his emotions.

Kurama knew, from the accusing look in Aisu's eyes, that this would be one long night.

………..(a few hours later)…………

Kurama, for the second time that night…morning, he realized with one quick glance at his wristwatch…closed Aisu's bedroom door quietly, praying the boy would _stay_ asleep this time. He snuck back to his room, letting his hand rest hesitantly on the doorknob when he finally reached his bedroom. He focused on the inside of his room and a smile came to his face when he recognized Hiei's youki on the other side of the door.

He took a deep breath as he opened the door and slipped into the room. Immediately, his gaze landed on his bed where the fire demon was laying. Kurama smiled when he saw how comfortable Hiei looked, the youkai stretching across the pillows at the head of Kurama's bed.

/…is he sleeping/

**…I think he is…**

Kurama snuck up to the side of his bed and was surprised to confirm the two demon's remarks. Hiei's eyes were closed and his breathing was slow enough that Kurama wondered for a moment if the demon was alright. Kurama decided that Hiei was fine when he saw the demon's eyes flutter open, revealing surprised red orbs.

"K'rama…" Hiei mumbled, burrowing his head deeper into the soft pillows so that his entire face was hidden as he shifted so that there would be room for Kurama to sit down. The kitsune did just that when he realized why Hiei was moving.

"…why did you come back?" Kurama asked softly, pulling his legs up onto the bed as he leaned back against the pillows Hiei was lounged out across. The Koorime didn't lift his head up out of the feathery mass, but Kurama knew he had smirked into the stuffing.

"I wanted to talk to Yukina…" Hiei answered simply, his deep voice muffled by the pillows. Kurama raised an eyebrow at the demon's response. Yukina hadn't said anything about Hiei visiting her lately, but since she had unexpectedly gone into labor this morning, Hiei probably didn't have the chance to talk with his twin sister. Kurama would have asked what Hiei wanted to talk to his sister about that he would have traveled all the way from the Makai for, but the Koorime beat him to it. "…we…discussed…" Hiei's voice became so soft, Kurama couldn't hear the rest of his statement.

/So, he _did_ talk to Yukina…and she didn't say anything to us about it…/

**Hiei-san probably didn't want us to know he was in the Ningenkai…**

Kurama lowered his head backwards onto the pillows so that his face was only a centimeter away from Hiei's head. The Koorime's fur-like hair brushed against his ear and Kurama bit back a chuckle. Hiei raised his head from the pillows when he heard Kurama's snort and was surprised to see Kurama was so close.

"What did you talk about?" Kurama asked as his eyes met Hiei's. The youkai quickly looked down, too embarrassed to answer Kurama. The kitsune smiled when he saw Hiei's reaction to his question, guessing that the Koorimes' conversation had to deal with him somehow. "Something about me?" Hiei shook his head negatively, but Kurama saw the barest of smiles on Hiei's face. "…you've really changed in five years, Hiei…"

Hiei mumbled something before he moved closer to Kurama and gently brushed his lips against the kitsune's. Kurama smiled as he thought about Hiei's words. :More than you can imagine: The pair of demons were, thankfully, silent as Kurama enjoyed the demon's chaste kiss. "…I…I missed you…" Hiei's comment was so soft, Kurama only knew what he said by reading the movement of the demon's lips against his own.

_:Missed me…it's far more than I ever believed to be possible.:_

That night, Kurama realized that, sometimes, dreams really do come true.

**...Owari.**

Authoress:...if anyone is interested...I'll write a sequel to this (ah, a life of Hiei/Kurama lemons and Aisu growing up...and more about Kura if anyone asks me to write more...)...and, gomen...but I couldn't help but ending with such a perfect line...hehe...I finally tied the title into the story!

Hiei: hn...

Authoress: gomen for not finishing this in so long...but I completely forgot (sorry!)...so, thank you for enduring such a long wait and I hope you enjoyed the story!


End file.
